


Diamonds and Pearls

by SilverKitsune2017



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Battle Scenes, Challenges, Determined Naruto, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirates, Romance, Romantic Itachi and Gaara, Sassy Uchiha Sasuke, Treasure Hunt, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-04-06 05:20:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14049795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune2017/pseuds/SilverKitsune2017
Summary: It was no secret that pirates loved treasure. Sometimes they would go to extraordinary means to get it. That was how Naruto and Gaara ended up sailing alongside the Uchiha Brothers on a quest to find Kurama's treasure. In the end, both Pirate Captains would come to cherish a single diamond and pearl far more than anything else. After all, love was the greatest treasure of all.





	1. Kurama's Treasure

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This is a YAOI story. That means there will be male x male romantic pairings. This tale is also about pirates. This is one of my older stories, so it isn't as polished as some of the others. Still, I love the plot and decided to post it here anyway. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, reviews are always appreciated and I hope you enjoy this story.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit of off any of my fanfics.

"You've gone mad, surely as the tides roll in and out everyday. You know that is just a legend. Kurama's treasure doesn't actually exist. Every pirate has tried to find it, no one has. Naruto, it can't be done." Gaara informs his friend.

"Yes, it does exist. We'll find it. Unless you are too yellow to go looking for it." Naruto teases the red headed pirate.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. No, not this time. He wasn't going to fall for it. Naruto was forever talking him into all sorts of mischief. He loved the other man as if he was his second brother, but the blonde had a knack for getting into trouble. (This was true even by pirate standards).

"I am not falling for it. I won't let you goad me into a wild goose chase." The Captain of Suna states firmly.

"Oh that's a shame. Captain Itachi was looking forward to working with you. You see this is a massive undertaking, so I put out some feelers. The Sharingan Crew says they will work with us, provided the loot is split evenly." Naruto says slyly.

That stops Gaara in his tracks. The red head had been madly in love with the elder Uchiha brother for years. Unfortunately, he hadn't spoken to the man since he was a child. Itachi was the Captain of the Sharingan and had once saved Gaara's life. He couldn't help but remember that day.

_"COME HERE, YOU FILTHY ANIMAL! I'LL TEACH YOU TO STEAL FROM ME!" Came the angry voice of a merchant._

_Gaara was only a boy of thirteen summers. He and his siblings were orphans and lived on he streets. Mostly they eeked out a rather meager existence by stealing or begging. The red head had just stolen a loaf of bread._

_It was a gamble. Gaara knew if he was caught, that the punishment for thieves was severe. It was likely he would lose one of his hands. With his heart racing with fear, he tried to escape._

_"Umpf!" Gaara said as he ran right into someone._

_He looked up and was stunned. The man was likely 18 summers or so. He was magnificent. His hair was black as night and swayed alluringly in the wind. He had a rugged sun kissed tan and his eyes were crimson red. His build was that of a leopard, all sleek muscle._

_Other than his inhumanely beautiful red eyes, what caught Gaara's attention most was his outfit. The man wore a long black leather jacket that reached to his knees and matching black pants. His vest was the exact same shade as his eyes. The man also had fancy boots that were probably worth more money than Gaara had ever seen in his lifetime. The crowning jewel though was his sword. The beautiful steel glimmered like diamonds underneath the sunlight._

_"Is there a reason why you are harassing this child?" The ethereal being demanded._

_His voice was like a silken caress to the ears. Gaara had never heard anyone with a voice like that before. It made him shiver and feel things that he never had before. The red head would later learn that unidentified feeling was known as desire._

_"He stole a loaf of bread. You know what the punishment for thieves is. Doesn't matter what his age is. He's nearly a man. He damn well knows stealing is wrong!" The merchant thundered at Itachi._

_"I don't like it when insects buzz in my face in such an annoying fashion." The man said and slammed the merchant into the side of a nearby building with one mighty punch._

_After a pause, he shoved a gold coin in the other man's mouth. Gaara knew the loaf of bread wasn't worth that much. But judging by this man's manner of dress and fine weapon, it was likely the smallest currency he had on his person._

_"Consider that payment for the bread. What's your name, boy?" Itachi asked the frightened orphan._

_"Gaara." He said simply._

_"Well Gaara, you look a little better fed than most orphans. So I'm guessing you have at least one sibling. Am I correct in this?" Itachi asked._

_"Yes, Sir." The red head replied quickly, not sure where this was going._

_Itachi nodded. Gaara thought he might be pleased at his guess being correct. He honestly didn't know though._

_"How old are they? Tell me true. I don't like liars anymore than I like annoying insects." He continued._

_"Temari is 16 summers. Kankuro is 14 summers. I'm 13." He answered._

_"Old enough, I suppose. Go get them. I have a friend that could use a few more cabin boys and a cook." Itachi ordered him._

_Gaara raced off. He soon returned with his sister and brother. Itachi was true to his word. He took them to a ship. Temari almost screamed when she saw the captain. He had BLUE skin and teeth like a shark's!_

_"This is Captain Kisame. His…exotic appearance means many people are too scared to join his crew. But he's a good man, in his own way. It will mean a full belly. It's your choice. I've done my good deed for the decade." Itachi said simply and walked off._

_That was how Gaara became a pirate. He started off as a cabin boy. Eventually, he worked his way up to First Mate. Once he had saved up enough, he bought his own ship. He named it Suna and had been a Captain ever since. It was all thanks to Itachi. The man who had stolen his heart when he was a mere boy of thirteen summers and never realized it._

"Naruto, I swear that if you are lying to me, I will slit your throat. Did he really say that? Did he really say that he was looking forward to working with me?" Gaara demands.

"Yes, Gaara. I swear it on me mother's grave. You're just as much of a pirate as he is now. People have heard of you. Why wouldn't he acknowledge your skills?" Naruto asks.

The red head considers this. Naruto wouldn't swear on his mother's grave unless he really meant it. Could he really do it? Could he fight alongside his beloved diamond and maybe even win his heart? Did Itachi even take men to his bed? Gaara didn't know.

"Alright. I'll do it. I'm probably going to end up regretting this, but what's life without a little risk? After all, we are pirates, not pampered nobles." Gaara asks with a smirk and Naruto beams.

"That's the spirit!" The blonde chirps merrily.

* * *

Meanwhile two brothers were in a tavern. Sasuke was wondering if his Captain had lost his mind. He wanted to WHAT?!

"Not only do you want to go after Kurama's treasure, you want to sail with the Captain of Suna and Konoha?!" The younger Uchiha exclaims in disbelief.

"That's correct." Itachi replies and he downs his flask of rum.

Yes, Itachi had gone mad. Sasuke couldn't believe that his brother was actually going along with this. He wanted to sail with two rival captains to go after a treasure that didn't even exist!

"Why?!" Sasuke thunders at him.

"Oh I have very little hope that we'll find Kurama's treasure, but I'm sure we'll find many other treasures along the way. Besides, I am curious what became of that boy. Gaara has his own ship now. He's made quite the name for himself and don't deny that you are curious about Captain Naruto. I have seen you perk up when his name is mentioned." Itachi states plainly.

Sasuke could feel his face heat up. He glares daggers at Itachi for what the other man was implying. It was not like that. It wasn't like that at all.

"Naruto actually managed to escape the Spanish fleet. Of course, I am interested when he's mentioned. The man is practically a demon on the seas." Sasuke defends himself.

"Of course. I'm certain that's all it is. You just appreciate his skills as a pirate." Itachi teases him.

"Exactly! That's all it is." Sasuke says and Itachi shakes his head in amusement.

Sasuke orders another ale. He wasn't going to put up with Itachi's teasing while he was sober. Alcohol was one the best friends a pirate would ever have. Many a time it had saved him from attempting to strangle his brother. He loved Itachi with all his heart, but the man did enjoy provoking him.

"You are my First Mate. I trust you more than anyone else, Sasuke. That's why I want you to sail on Konoha with Naruto. I will have Gaara aboard Sharingan. It's simply too noticeable sail with three pirate ships at once. Suna is built for speed. If it comes to naval battle, it is at a disadvantage compared to Konoha and Sharingan." Itachi says.

"You want me to sail with Naruto?! You want me to sail with a man that I've never met?! What if something goes wrong? What if Gaara decides run you through while your back is turned?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi smiles. He pokes Sasuke on the forehead. Those were all very valid questions, but his little brother needed to learn how to relax.

"Yes, I want you to sail with him. I know you are perfectly capable of handling yourself. You will also be taking some of our men with you. You won't be alone. As for Gaara, I saved him when he was a boy. Without me, he'd probably be dead or a beggar at best by now. He knows this. I believe him to be a man of honor. If he isn't, well I'll shove him overboard before he can even think of unsheathing his blade." Itachi says with a smile and flicks Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke growls. He rubs his forehead and shoots his brother a dirty look. He still thought Itachi was half mad, but he would follow his brother to Hell itself. Itachi was the only person in his life that he could honestly say he trusted completely, save for Jugo.

"Why do you always do that?!" Sasuke snarls.

"Because it's something that only we share and it vexes you greatly. You are rather amusing when you are annoyed. Let's go tell the crew. We have much preparing to do." Itachi says and pays for their tab.

Sasuke nods. They would need to make sure their ships were well stocked with supplies and that everyone was ready to set sail the next day. It would be a long night. The Uchiha brothers walk off to do exactly that.

* * *

The next morning the three crews meet. Everyone was in the midst of introducing themselves and checking to make sure all the ships were properly prepared. It was chaos.

"This is Sasuke. He is my First Mate and brother." Itachi says as he introduces himself and the younger Uchiha to everyone.

"A pleasure to meet you." Gaara says and extends his hand towards Sasuke.

"Likewise, Captain Sabaku." He replies and shakes his hand.

"This is Captain Naruto Uzumaki. He is my closest friend and one of the finest sailors that I have ever met." The red head continues with the introductions.

Sasuke nods. That's when he made the mistake of looking up as he offered his hand to the other in greeting. So this was Naruto. He could certainly understand now what the barmaids were all talking about when they said he had eyes bluer than the Caspian Sea. Sapphires even paled in comparison.

"Nice to meet you." Naruto says cheerfully and shakes Sasuke's hand.

The blonde looks up at the last minute. He must have met a couple hundred men so far today and the introductions were getting to be a little tiresome. Still he knew that Sasuke was important. He was a First Mate and likely would have been a Captain of his own ship, if he wasn't so loyal to his brother.

He had heard the rumors of two handsome pirate brothers. Still Naruto had never put much stock in rumors. Half of them were started by pirates who only wanted to 'earn' a more impressive reputation. The rumors this time though, didn't do justice. Itachi was a handsome man, Sasuke was a beautiful one.

"Likewise." Sasuke says simply.

Midnight black hair that was spiked exotically in the back and two long bangs framed his face. His eyes were red as rubies. His skin was more luminous than any pearl that Naruto had seen and so soft to the touch. How the Devil did Sasuke have such soft hands when he was a bloody pirate?!

"We should get going. It wouldn't do well to linger too long. The authorities might get suspicious." Gaara points out.

The pirates all nod and finish boarding the ship. The brothers exchange a dignified embrace and quickly head off with their respective new partner in crime. It didn't take long for the ships to set sail.

"So welcome to Konoha. The finest ship to ever sail the Seven Seas." Naruto says with a smile.

"The second finest. Sharingan is superior, but I must admit it is a very lovely ship." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Naruto raises an eyebrow in amusement. Well he supposed he should have expected that. Most pirates were rather competitive when it came to their ships. Still Sasuke was talking to him and seemed to be in relatively high spirits. So that was a good sign.

Speaking of high spirits, Naruto was rather liking the way his long sleeved white shirt was half opened, displaying his well sculpted chest. Oh and those dark blue pants flattered his perfect backside. The only thing that kept Naruto from grabbing said fine backside was the fact that Sasuke had a sword displayed rather prominently on his left hip and a reputation as a skilled swordsmen.

"Well as long as we are in agreement that is a very fine ship, I think we'll get along well enough." Naruto says.

"Good. Which cabin is mine?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh right. Come on. I'll show you." Naruto says as he leads Sasuke to his cabin.

* * *

Sasuke follows him to the cabin. Once inside, he looks around in approval. There was a large canopy bed with red silken sheets, pillows, and drapes. He saw a large dresser with a vanity on it and a table. There was a bookshelf as well and a trunk to stash his valuables.

"It'll do." He says and Naruto raises an eyebrow.

He couldn't resist trying to get a rise out of the stoic man. Maybe it was just his boisterous nature, but something in Naruto wanted to see the other man lose control.

"Oh well I'm glad that it meets with his majesty's approval." Naruto says and bows with a flourish.

"It does indeed. You are dismissed." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please don't hesitate to summon me, if you need anything." Naruto says and walks off.

Sasuke tilts his head as the blonde did so. He'd never admit it out loud, but the blonde did cut an impressive figure. He shakes his head. Such thoughts were foolish and a waste of time, he'd never see him again after this heist.

* * *

On the Sharingan, Itachi was showing Gaara around. It was a strange feeling. In a way, he felt like a proud father. The red head had become one of the most well known and feared pirates on the seas. On the other hand, he felt a little dirty. Said red head had also grown up to be a very attractive man. A man that he remembered as a starving boy, who he should not be admiring in such a fashion.

"So what do you think?" Itachi asks after awhile.

"It really is a beautiful ship. Wherever did you get the money for it?" The red head asks and Itachi smirks.

"It's quite the long tale. Come I'll get us some ale and we can discuss it in detail, if it pleases you." Gaara nods and follows the elder Uchiha brother to the liquor cabinet.

Itachi pours them each a drink. He smiles as he begins the story. The Captain remembers it like it was only yesterday.

_"Itachi, she is a good match for you. She's a woman with a title, good breeding, and a pretty face. What more could you possibly want?" Fugaku roared at his son._

_"I want love. I don't want to marry some broodmare that will bore me to tears. I am naught marrying her." Itachi thundered right back at his father._

_Itachi was vaguely aware of his younger brother, watching them from behind the corner. He sighed. Itachi certainly didn't want Sasuke to see the row that was about to happen. But there was nothing he could do about it. Once his father started, there was no going back._

_Oh Fugaku Uchiha had never struck his children with his hand. His words were another matter. He had been a stern man. The Uchiha Patriarch expected full obedience from his children. So did most fathers for that matter. When he didn't get it, things tended to get rather loud._

_"If you do not marry her, I will disown you!" He threatened._

_"Then do it. Sasuke can be the heir. I am not going to marry someone that I do not love." Itachi snapped at him and raced off to his room._

_He knew that he had to pack quickly. This was not going to be an easy separation. Itachi expected his father to follow him. He was surprised when he saw his little brother peer into his room cautiously._

_"Take me with you." Sasuke said._

_"Sasuke, your place is here. This is not your fault. You should stay with father and one day you will be Lord of this castle." He told his brother._

_Sasuke shook his head. It was on that day, that Itachi Uchiha learned just how stubborn his younger brother could be. Once Sasuke got an idea into his head, there was no going back._

_"I'm going with you." He said firmly._

_Somehow they found themselves at the docks. There was a beautiful ship there. The brothers had no plan in mind, they were just admiring it. That's how they met Orochimaru._

_"I see you have Sea Eyes. Your eyes both shine with love for the Sea and this ship. That's rare for nobles." The man said._

_Itachi knew the man to be a pirate. He was missing a hand. In its place was a hook. Sasuke seemed fascinated by this and perhaps a little frightened. Itachi didn't blame his brother for the last part._

_"We are no longer nobles. Our father disowned me and my brother insisted on coming with me. I tried to talk some sense into him, but alas, he is stubborn." Itachi replied with a shrug._

_"You both seem like strong, healthy boys to me. I can always use an extra hand on the ship. Come with me. You can see the world. It's not as though your other options are particularly compelling." He mused._

_Itachi looked at Sasuke. Sasuke was only twelve summers. He was not quite considered a man yet. It would be difficult for him to pick up a trade this young. Still he was too old to get much sympathy as a beggar on the streets. Itachi might fare better, but it would hard to provide for himself and his brother. Like it or not, the hooked man spoke the truth._

_Eventually, Itachi and Sasuke ended up killing Orochimaru. Orochimaru had grown dangerously obsessed with them both. It was kill or be killed. After they disposed of their former mentor, they took his ship. Ever since then, they were simply referred to as_ **_The Brothers._ ** _Very few pirates were blessed enough to rival them in wealth or reputation as they had learned well from their late teacher._

"You killed Orochimaru? The man was a legend." Gaara gasps.

"Well Sasuke and I killed him together, but yes. That is what happened. The Sharingan has been ours ever since. I don't regret it. The man was unhinged. I do not allow anyone to threaten myself or my brother and live to tell the tale." Itachi says and pours them another glass of ale.

The red head could scarcely believe it. He knew that Itachi was an honest man, but still. Orochimaru had terrorized the High Seas for decades. Even Kings and Queens had been afraid of him. Yet, the brothers had killed him with apparent ease and stolen his ship.

"Remind me, never to make an enemy of you or Sasuke." He muses as he savors his second cup.

"I don't think that you could ever do so. Besides, you are intelligent enough that I don't think such a reminder is necessary." Itachi muses.

Gaara fought back the impulse to shiver. There was just something seductive about the way Itachi had said that. If such a thing were possible, he would wonder if Itachi had any Siren blood in him. His voice was truly a gift.

"That is very kind of you to say." He replies.

"I'm not in the habit of saying things to be kind. I prefer honesty, when there isn't gold involved." Itachi informs him.

The red head snorts in amusement. Oh yes, pirates would tell many a lie for gold. He had been guilty of that more than a few times. That he wouldn't take personally.

"Then how do I know you won't try to double cross Naruto and I, if we find the treasure?" The red head asks.

Itachi's lips twitch upwards in amusement. It was a rare man who would so openly question him. Perhaps that was what he liked about the red head. Maybe he knew that one day the terrified boy would become a rather brave man.

"You have no way of knowing that we are not already planning to slit your pretty throats. However, the same is true in reverse. We can not be completely certain that you are not planning on betraying us." The elder Uchiha answers his question.

"I do admire your frankness." Gaara muses.

"Is that all you admire about me?" Itachi asks rather boldly.

Gaara blinks. He could only hope that he was not actually blushing. Was Itachi actually making an advance towards him or just playing with games with his mind? The young pirate didn't even really knew if Itachi preferred men or not.

There were of course rumors about him. Naturally, there were. If you became a famous pirate, your sex life was bound to become a topic of conversation. Many men and women had claimed to have bedded the handsome Captain. Gaara wondered how many were liars and how many had been telling the truth though.

"One would think that you are fishing for compliments, with a question like that." Gaara says.

"I may have been. One's…ego can never get enough stroking." The Sharingan Captain informs him.

Yes, Itachi was definitely making advances towards him. Whether they were genuine or not, he wasn't certain. Either way, there was no mistaking the obvious innuendos anymore.

"I suppose not. Well I look forward to discovering Kurama's treasure and becoming richer than the Kings and Queens themselves with you." The Captain of Suna responds.

"I look forward to that as well. Good night, Gaara. Pleasant dreams." Itachi says as he strides out of the cabin with a sensual feline grace.

"What in the name of the Seven Seas, did I just get myself into?" The red head asks himself.


	2. The Gauntlet & The Three Isles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto bicker as Itachi and Gaara discuss their crews' goals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Unfortunately, my schedule is going to be rather unpredictable for the foreseeable future. So I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. I have no intention of abandoning this story though. With that in mind, happy reading.

A week later and both ships were sailing out on the open ocean. The Sharingan and Konoha cut quite the impressive picture as they seemed to almost glide over the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Speaking of impressive, Naruto couldn't help but glance at the young Uchiha brother in appreciation.

Sasuke was currently sitting next to some of the other members of their crew. The men and women were playing cards. More specifically, they were playing a rather erotic version of poker. If you lost, you had to remove an article of clothing. Most of the women were only clad in their undergarments and many of the men were not faring much better.

"Three Queens." Sasuke says triumphantly.

"Damn it!" Suigetsu grumbles and begins to reach for his trousers, much to the delight of some of the women.

"Oi! I don't need to be seeing your sword. You lost. Everyone knows it." Naruto calls out.

Sasuke looks back at Naruto in amusement. He decides the Captain is either bashful or prefers only to admire women. Either way, this could prove quite entertaining.

"I don't know what you are so flustered about, Captain. Most of us here have the same parts and the women aren't protesting." Sasuke taunts him.

There were a few giggles and snickers from Sharingan and Konoha crew members alike. Naruto just gapes at Sasuke. He couldn't believe he had 'challenged' him in such a way, with so many crew members watching.

"Your parts are about to be hurting you mighty badly, if keep speaking to me that way." Naruto warns him.

Logically, he knew that it was probably intended to be a gentle ribbing. He doubted that the dark haired pirate actually meant anything malicious by it. Still he couldn't let this slide.

Naruto barely knew about half of the crew on this ship. He was still establishing his authority over them. He didn't appreciate Sasuke making that just a little bit harder than it needed to be. Sharingan crew members had to learn how to take him seriously and such taunts were not going to help them do that.

"I think that was a challenge." Sasuke says, rising to his feet with an almost otherworldly speed and grace.

"Only you can not learn how to hold your tongue and show respect to your Captain!" The blonde thunders at him.

Naruto mentally cursed. The blue eyed pirate didn't want to be bickering with Sasuke. He especially didn't want to be doing it in front of half the crew, but the younger Uchiha had provoked him into it.

"Put your mind at ease, Captain. I have never shown disrespect towards MY Captain. You just aren't him. You're Captain of Konoha, but I am the First Mate of the Sharingan. I have no reason to hold my tongue around you. You are not my superior." Sasuke informs him.

There was stunned silence. The gauntlet had been laid down. Everyone watched with baited breath to see how Naruto would react to THAT declaration.

"If you apologize right now, I'll assume you only said something that foolish because you were drunk off your arse. I'll forget your insubordination." The Konoha's Captain says.

"I might have had a few flasks of ale, but it takes more than to make lose control of myself. I am not going to apologize for telling the truth. You're Captain of this ship. This isn't my ship though. We are equals here." Sasuke replies with defiance flashing in his eyes.

Damn it. Now Naruto had no choice. He was going to have to fight the other man. He couldn't let THAT go unanswered. He unsheathes his sword.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to beat some sense into that stubborn arse of yours! On this ship, I am Captain. You are my subordinate." The blonde growls at him.

"I'm trembling with…excitement." Sasuke replies and unsheathes his own sword.

The two pirates begin circling each other. The Sharingan and Konoha crew members were watching with excitement and a little fear. They all knew that these were two master swordsmen. Someone could die, if one of them didn't yield.

"I'll let you live, if you yield." Naruto says as he charges at Sasuke.

"Funny, I was just about to make the same offer to you." Sasuke replies and dodges.

Sasuke managed to spin around quickly. He immediately raises his sword to block Naruto's. The blonde had gone in for a second strike. Steel meet steel and clashed together loudly as they both tried to overpower the other.

The First Mate was forced to take a step back, but he holds his own. Sasuke frowns as he realizes that Naruto had the upper hand when it came to raw strength, if only just. He'd have to rely on speed to win this fight.

"Just yield!" Naruto snarls at him.

"Never!" Sasuke roars right back at him and does a roll backwards, his feet coming dangerous close to smashing Naruto in the face as he does so.

It was more to startle the blonde. He wasn't actually trying to kick him in the face. He just needed to make sure while he tumbled always, that it was unlikely the Captain would slash him to ribbons.

That was when a large man with orange hair stepped between the two combatants. Naruto had never seen a man that size before, save for Kisame. He was absolutely fearless to get in the middle of a sword fight.

"Stop. We are all working together on this heist. There's no reason to fight each other." He says.

"Jugo, stand down. Naruto and I have different views as to what my role on this ship is. I'm merely clearing up his confusion on the matter." Sasuke says.

Naruto watches 'Jugo' carefully. He was trying to come across as a neutral party, but the blonde wasn't buying it. The man was standing between Sasuke and Naruto's blade. He was acting as a shield. Konoha's Captain didn't know why that irritated him, but it did. A lot.

"Sasuke, what do you think our Captain would say, if he found out you were provoking Captain Uzumaki like this?" He asks.

The First Mate sighs. Damn. As much as he was loathed to admit it, Jugo had a point. Itachi wouldn't be very pleased with Sasuke if he found out. That was unfortunate. Sasuke was having a grand ole time fighting with the blonde. Nothing excited him more than a good fight.

"Fine. Naruto, you aren't my Captain. But I will respect your orders because this is your ship. Well as long as your orders aren't stupid." Sasuke says as he walks off with the giant man.

Naruto just watches flabbergasted as Sasuke walks off. He couldn't believe it. The feisty pirate had just stopped fighting, almost immediately after Jugo asked him to. He knew it was foolish, but he couldn't suppress his jealousy. Were they lovers?

* * *

Sasuke heads back to his cabin with Jugo. He sighs and shuts the door behind them. He knew he was going to get an earful.

"Why would you put yourself in harm's way like that, over nothing?" Jugo asks.

"I don't know. I just enjoy provoking him. It's amusing. I know you were only worried about my safety. I appreciate it, but next time…don't interfere. I don't want to lose face in front of the crews." Sasuke says and Jugo nods.

Sasuke just didn't have it in him to be angry with Jugo. If anyone else had intervened, he would have kicked them in the balls or smacked them on the head with his sword. Jugo was Jugo though. It would be like beating your dog for trying to protect you. It was just wrong. He smiles as he remembers how he met the other man.

_Sasuke and Itachi knew that it was a gamble, but they had to do it. They had to kill Orochimaru. Neither of the brothers were naïve by this point. Each of them knew what the looks that Orochimaru gave them meant. The only way to escape his "affections" was for him to be dead._

_"Sasuke, have you gone mad?! You just released a beserker!" Itachi shouted at him._

_"We had to even the odds out somehow!" The younger Uchiha cried out and swung his sword at yet another opponent._

_There were simply too many men on that ship who were loyal to Orochimaru. Itachi and Sasuke were skilled fighters, but not that skilled. Jugo would even things out. It was a gamble though. The man was a beast in battle. A mindless beast intent on destroying anything in his way._

_The battle was beyond bloody, but eventually the brothers managed to kill Orochimaru. There was just one problem. A beserker did not care who was friend and who was foe during a fight._

_"Jugo, calm down. Kimimaro wouldn't want you to do this. Orochimaru is dead now. He can't hurt anyone else. You can start a new life. He would want you to be happy." Sasuke said as he cautiously took a step towards the giant man._

_It was truly a miracle. Sasuke would never understand it, for some reason…Jugo listened. Instead of trying to kill the brothers, he embraced Sasuke tightly. Apparently, he was happy that his lover had been avenged._

_Kimimaro had been Orochimaru's favorite cabin boy, until he came down with an illness. It might have been treatable with a proper doctor, but Orochimaru didn't want to risk docking so close to the English fleet. So Kimimaro had died. Jugo believed that Orohcimaru had murdered his lover, albeit in an indirect way. Ever since that day, Jugo vowed to be Sasuke's "shield." This was a promise that he had faithfully kept thus far. Other than Itachi, the mostly gentle giant was the only man that Sasuke trusted completely._

"Alright. But you really shouldn't put yourself in danger like that." Jugo says.

"I'm fine. Naruto didn't want to kill me anyway. He was practically begging me to yield." Sasuke muses.

* * *

Meanwhile on the Sharingan, Itachi and Gaara were looking at a map. The two Captains were trying to decide where they should go next. They needed to find a clue as to where Kurama's treasure might be.

"Do you really believe it exists?" The red head asks.

"Nay. I do not. I know that Naruto does though." The Sharingan Captain replies honestly.

Gaara looks at the other man in confusion. If Itachi didn't believe that Kurama's treasure existed, why did he agree to this voyage? It made no sense.

"Then why are you here? Why are you chasing after something you believe can not be found?" The red head inquires.

"Kurama's treasure likely doesn't exist, but if it does…I'd like to find it. If it doesn't, then I suspect we will find many other treasures along the way. We will not be going home, empty handed. Besides, I was curious. I had not seen you in years. I wanted to see what became of that street urchin that I saved all those years ago." Itachi confesses.

Gaara blinks. Itachi was basically saying that he mostly wanted to see what became of him and line his pockets with whatever loot they happened to plunder along the way. That would be touching, if it wasn't Itachi saying it. There had to be an ulterior motive. The elder Uchiha brother was not one to pursue someone or something purely for sentimental reasons. Everyone knew that.

"I suppose three crews combined will plunder far more loot than two would have. I confess myself surprised that you were so curious as to what happened to me." Gaara muses.

Itachi pauses. He was not entirely certain what would be the best approach to take. If he was too blunt, then the red head might bolt. On the other hand, if he was too subtle…that would achieve the desired outcome either.

"That much is true. As for my curiosity, I only do a good deed once a decade. It's only natural to be curious as to their outcomes. I believe our best bet is to stop at the Sannin Port. If anyone would know about the treasure, it would be the people there. They are an…odd sort." He states with open amusement.

The red head snorts. That was putting it rather charitably. The Sannin Port was also known as Triangle of Death. Three islands surrounding it. They were informally known as Lust, Liquor, and Loss.

The legend of the islands went as follows. Once there were three pirates that sailed the Seven Seas together. Each of them would end up claiming an Isle.

Tsunade claimed she claimed the first island and started a famous tavern there. It became known as the Liquor Isle. The second was a man named Jirayia. On his island, one could explore the sensual pleasures of life without fear of any judgment. This island was dubbed Lust Isle. Finally, Orochimaru's island. This was known as the Loss Isle because it was a place frequented by assassins. Anyone name who was mentioned there, was likely to lose their life. It was sometimes referred to as the Isle of the Lost for that very reason.

"Are you so eager to die an early death? You must know what goes on there." Gaara exclaims.

"I am not eager to die an early death. We will all be fine. Do not fret. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Besides, I think that the Lust Isle would be the safest place to start out of the three. Do you not agree?" The handsome captain asks.

"That's like asking if one would prefer getting eaten by a shark, run through by a sword, or dying from an infection. I suppose in this case, the sword would be "safest." The sassy Captain informs him.

"And the sword in this content is which of the three Isles?" Itachi inquires with no small amount of amusement.

"The Isle of Lust." The Suna Captain replies.

Itachi nods. He heads off to find a messenger pigeon. He quickly pens a letter to his brother and ties it to the leg of the bird. The animal took off towards the other ship.

"How do you ever manage to get them to do that?" The other man asks.

"Oh I train them from the time they are babies. They are quite smart. Of course, one has to know how to coax them." Itachi observes.

"Well I'm certain that coaxing beasts and men into doing your bidding, has never been an issue for you." Gaara mutters.

"I like to think that I can be rather persuasive, yes." The elder Uchiha says and his eyes dance with amusement.

At first, Gaara wasn't certain what was causing Itachi so much merriment. That's when he repeated his words in his head. The elder man had taken them the wrong way.

"Is your head forever in the gutter? The Isle of Lust suits you very well. I should think that you will end up being its Governor." The red head snaps at him, feeling rather embarrassed.

"Perhaps my mind did wander to unsavory places, but you were not far behind me. Tis only natural, when one is discussing that Isle." Itachi replies with a shrug.

The younger captain mentally chides himself. How could he have been so foolish? He let Itachi get the better of him. Now he looked like a bashful boy, instead of a man who was in charge of a mighty pirate ship. Damn it!

"I imagine you have that effect on many people." Gaara mutters.

It was childish. He realized it. The red head had basically told Itachi, _"You started it!"_ Unfortunately, he could not think of a better rebuttal at the time and so it would have to do.

"You are just full of flattery today." Itachi comments from his position on his chair.

The elder Uchiha knew that it likely wasn't the smart move. He had no way of knowing if Gaara was even interested in men. Still he gave into the impulse anyway and pulls the feisty red head into his lap.

"It's not really flattery." Gaara stammers.

"Then what would you call it, my dear Captain?" Itachi asks curiously.

"Accurate observations. God help Naruto, if Sasuke is anything like you." Gaara mutters as he jumps off the other man's lap.

The pirate didn't delude himself. He was in love with the other man, but he didn't know if Itachi felt the same way. Itachi might be just engaging in flirtation to get a rise out of him. Seducing him could be a smart move on his part as well. After all, what better way to rob someone blind than to make them think you were in love with them?

"Sasuke is quite different than me. He's rather…selective about who he takes to his bed. He's never felt the need to hone his seduction skills. Women and men alike throw their affections towards him quite freely, without any prompting. He just ignores most of them." Itachi observes with great mirth.

"And what of you? Do you graciously accept the affections that are thrown at you?" Gaara asks as he tries to keep the bitterness out of his tone.

He wouldn't do it. The red head knew he didn't have the right. He didn't have the right to act as though he was a jealous lover. Itachi owed him nothing. It shouldn't concern him in the slightest who the other Captain took his bed, but it did.

That fact disturbs Gaara greatly. What troubled him even more though, was that there was apparently nothing he could do about it. He was jealous of people that he didn't even know existed for certain. Jealous of imaginary lovers of Itachi. He was pathetic.

"I occasionally indulge, but I am always rather honest in my intentions. I assure you that I've never led a lover on or left them wanting." Itachi replies.

Yes, they were heading into very dangerous waters here. Fortunately, the red head was an expert sailor. He could navigate away from these metaphorical rocks and steer them back towards a safer topic of conversation.

""That's good to know. How long do you think it will take the bird to reach Konoha?" He asks softly.

Itachi's lips twitch upwards. He couldn't fully hide his amusement. The red head was squirming and he knew it. The pirate knew that he should feel guilty for making the other man so flustered, but he couldn't. It was all just too endearing to watch.

"They are not that far behind us. I'd say half a day at most." Itachi informs him.

It was enjoyable to watch Gaara squirm, but Itachi wasn't a fool. He knew that there was really only so far he could push the other man before he would react negatively. He was not entirely certain that he could persuade the red head to join him in his bed, but now he knew that Gaara did find men appealing. His reactions were not those of a man who only preferred women.

"That's good. About your brother, do you think there will be issues aboard Konoha? He's used to acting more as your co-captain than a First Mate. He doesn't have that kind of relationship with Naruto." Suna's Captain asks.

Itachi tries to hide his smirk. Gaara was quite clever. He was trying to shift the conversation to his brother, in an effort to make it more respectable. He decides to humor him and allow the other pirate to believe that his ploy had worked.

"Oh I'm almost certain there will be issues. That's what makes it all so delightfully entertaining." Itachi answers honestly.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. The elder man had just basically said he put Sasuke on the same ship with Naruto in order to fuck with them. He knew that they would clash.

"You knew this, yet you still put them on the same ship? Is that not counterproductive? We will not find nearly as much plunder, if they are spending all their time fighting with each other over position." The red head points out.

"Oh I'm certain that they will fight like cats and dogs for awhile, but they'll manage in the end. Until then, it will be quite entertaining for both of us. My foolish little brother can be quite stubborn. From what I know of your friend, he is the same way." The elder Uchiha brother confesses.

Gaara shakes his head. Well perhaps it wasn't that outrageous. Brothers and sisters quarreled all the time. It was only natural that they would poke and prod at each other. Apparently, the Uchihas just took this to extremes.

"I just hope they don't kill each other." He mutters.

"I doubt that would happen. Sasuke may be impulsive, but he's not that foolish. He wouldn't kill the Captain of the ship, when half of the crew would try to slit his throat for it." Itachi replies.

Gaara quirks an eyebrow. The elder man had absolute faith in Sasuke's combat abilities it seemed. Naruto was a terror with a sword. Itachi had to be aware of this. He highly doubted Itachi Uchiha would agree to go along with Naruto's quest, if he thought the blonde couldn't handle himself. Despite this, he just assumed that Sasuke would win a battle to the death against the blue eyed pirate.

"That's quite the assumption." The red head observes.

"Whatever do you mean?" Itachi asks as he pours them both a flask of some fine rum.

This was the good stuff. Gaara knew that it would cost most people's a week's wages to afford a single bottle of it. Itachi didn't skimp. Was he trying to impress him?

"You assume that your brother would best Naruto if it came down to a life or death battle. Naruto is quite competent with a sword and even better with his fists." The Captain of Suna informs him.

"Oh I'm well aware of that. I suppose it is familial pride that makes me assume Sasuke would win. Truthfully, your guess would be as good as mine. Still Sasuke has one thing that Naruto lacks. He has a killer instinct. So do you for that matter." Itachi observes.

Gaara was almost afraid to ask what Itachi meant by that. His curiosity got the better of him though. He had to know what was on the other man's mind.

"What do you mean by that?" He demands.

"You and Sasuke will not hesitate to kill in battle. You don't necessarily get pleasure from it, but you don't shy away from it. Naruto will always spare his opponent, if given a choice. I've watched both of you for years. I know your fighting styles." Itachi admits with a shrug.

_"I've watched both of you for years."_ Gaara knew that Itachi meant it in a professional sense. It was only intelligent to watch rival pirates closely. You never knew when you might have to do battle with them. Unfortunately, his heart didn't want to listen to his mind. His heart was pleased that Itachi considered him worthy of watching and that was cause for alarm.

"That is accurate when it comes to me and Naruto. I do not know your brother, so I can not judge him with any certainty. What of yourself?" Gaara asks.

"I am more like Naruto in this regard, but when it comes to protecting those precious to me…I will not hesitate to do what needs to be done." Itachi assures him.

"I'll hold you to that. Something tells me this wild goose chase may very well get all of us into a lot of trouble." Gaara says and Itachi could only nod in agreement.


	3. Don't Sass Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Naruto and Sasuke go round and round, a battle takes place on the ocean and the Sannin ponder their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Privateer: Basically these people are more or less doing the same thing as pirates, but they have been hired by someone to do so. Queen Elizabeth I is famous for using them.

A few hours later, Naruto sighs when the messenger pigeon arrives. He quickly reads the note attached to its foot. He couldn't put it off any longer, the blonde knew he was going to have to talk to Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" He calls out as he knocks on the raven haired pirate's cabin door.

Sasuke rises to his feet and heads to the door. He wasn't surprised that it was Naruto at this point. He recognized the Captain's voice and knew that any pirate worth their salt wasn't going to let Sasuke's challenge go unanswered. The younger Uchiha was fully expecting a confrontation and mentally braces himself for it as he opens the door.

"Yes, Captain?" Sasuke asks in a mocking tone.

He knew it was childish, but he couldn't resist. There was just something endlessly entertaining about riling the handsome blonde up. Idly, he wonders if maybe that was just the ale talking.

"Sasuke, don't sass me. We got important news. Itachi and Gaara want to go to the Isle of Lust. They think we might find out something about Kurama's treasure there." The Captain of Konoha informs him.

Sasuke blinks. All traces of amusement and teasing were suddenly gone from his demeanor. Had Itachi lost his mind? Surely, there had to be other places they could investigate first. Why would he want to go to the Triangle of Death?!

"Do you agree with that decision?" The raven haired pirate asks.

"I don't know. I'm shocked that they would suggest going THERE. The people on that isle are dangerous." The blue eyed Captain replies.

The First Mate nods. There wasn't much that shocked Sasuke anymore when it came to deviancy. The Isle of Lust was one of the few places that made him uneasy. Just hearing the name, made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. This was also true for almost anyone who hadn't gone at least half mad.

"We should probably try to dock somewhere first. Perhaps we can talk them out of this insanity." Sasuke mutters and the blonde nods in agreement.

"That's a good idea. Oh and one more thing." Naruto says.

"What is it?" Sasuke asks and umpfs when he felt himself pushed against the wall.

Sasuke's back was towards Naruto and that made him very nervous. Having your back exposed to an armed man, was never a good thing. He tries to slip out of the blonde's hold, but it was useless. Naruto had him held firmly in place.

"Don't do it again. Don't challenge me like that in front of the crew again. I don't want to have to fight you, but I will. Don't think for one second that I won't knock you on that pretty arse of yours." Naruto whispers hotly into his ear and keeps Sasuke tightly pinned against the wall.

Naruto knew that he had to pull rank. This was one way to do that. Though privately, the blonde realized that he didn't have to assert his authority over Sasuke in such a provocative way.

"Didn't realize that my arse was such a fascinating topic to you. Pretty?" Sasuke taunts him.

There were a million ways he could have punished Sasuke. He could have demoted him. The blonde could have hit him. The Captain could have assigned him to do some harsh manual labor on the ship that the raven haired pirate would likely view as an insult to his skill level.

He didn't have to shove Sasuke against the wall like this. Like he was going to take him against the wall. But he did.

He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the sight of the defiant First Mate like this. Completely at his mercy and for some reason his creamy neck was taunting him. Just like its owner.

"It's an expression. Don't get cocky, Uchiha. Besides the shape of your backside is not the point. The point is you are a member of my crew now! You need to act like it." Naruto growls at him.

The blonde had the impulse to mark it. It would teach him a lesson. Thankfully, he still had enough common sense not to give into that whim. Sasuke would have probably tried to kill him, if he had.

"I suggest you get off of me." Sasuke hisses at him.

Sasuke whirls around the second that Naruto releases him. He slams the other man onto the bed and straddles his waist. The Uchiha was pulling back his arm and probably about to punch him when the door opened.

"Sasuke, someone said that a pigeon just arrived. Thought you ought to know." Jugo says as he walks into the room.

It took a minute for the large man to register what he saw. Naturally, he saw Sasuke straddling Naruto's waist on top of the bed and his mind jumped to conclusions. Anyone else would have done the same really.

"Well I had hoped that you two would work things out, but isn't exactly how I pictured you doing so." The orange haired man observes.

"It's not what it looks like. We weren't about to _do_ anything! I was about to punch him for being an idiot. This dunce actually thought he could pull rank over me." Sasuke exclaims.

"Sasuke, it doesn't matter to me, if you prefer men. I'll just leave you two alone. It seems like you would appreciate the privacy." Jugo says as he wanders off.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Sasuke protests, but Jugo was already gone.

Naruto blinks. He looks up at Sasuke in confusion. The Captain of Konoha had been positive that he and the larger man were lovers. Jugo hadn't acted as a lover though. He hadn't been jealous, more surprised than anything.

"So you two aren't…together?" The blue eyed man asks.

"No. Jugo isn't my lover. He's more like a second brother than anything. Wait. Why am I telling you this?! My relationship with him is none of your business." Sasuke says as he gets off of Naruto.

He couldn't help it. Sasuke felt embarrassed. Jugo had walked in on them and now thought that they were lovers. Well at least Jugo had walked in on him, while he was on top. So that was a small mercy.

Sasuke knew his preferences. He'd known them from a young age. His bedpost had a lot less notches on it than most pirates. But that didn't mean that he hadn't taken any lovers.

He had taken a few men and women to his bed. In general, Sasuke knew that he preferred men. It was a rare woman that caught his eye, but it had happened before.

"Guilty conscience for insulting threatening your captain, would be my guess." Naruto says.

He wasn't ashamed that if given the choice, he'd choose a man over a woman to warm his bed, more often than not. Most pirates did eventually explore what both sexes had to offer. Sasuke just didn't make it a habit to let everyone know what he liked and didn't like when it came to carnal delights.

"The only way one could have a guilty conscience, is if they had a conscience in the first place. I have none. So I don't feel any guilt." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Right. Well if you keep acting like a badly behaved Cabin Boy, I'll just have to discipline you more later. I got more important things to do now though." Naruto says as he begins penning a response to the message.

"I'm the badly behaved cabin boy?!" Sasuke asks in disbelief.

"Yes, that's right. You should respect your Captain's authority. You are an experienced First Mate. You should really know better." Naruto says with a nod as he continues writing.

**_Dear Itachi and Gaara,_ **

**_We should dock at the next Port. Sasuke and I want to discuss our next move._ **

**_Captain Naruto Uzumaki_ **

He heads out of the room and straps the message to the pigeon's leg. It soon takes off. Sasuke follows him and watches as the bird soars through the sky.

"Hopefully, they listen." He mutters.

"Yeah, hopefully." Naruto agrees.

* * *

Meanwhile back on the Sharingan, Gaara just gapes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Just how drunk where these men?

"Don't mind them. They get quite theatrical after they've had a few drinks." Itachi muses.

There was a man with long blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed up as a woman. A rather foul-mouthed man was performing with him. To say the least, the scene was rather suggestive.

"So then I offer to show the tavern wench my sword. She was just as pretty as could be, with hair just like Deidara's here!" Hidan continues on with his tale.

"Their stark raving mad. The entire lot of them are." Gaara muses.

"Aye, but they are the finest crew that ever sailed the Seven Seas." Itachi counters.

Gaara had never met a man who swore even half as much as Hidan and that was saying something. The red head had sailed with Captain Kisame after all!

"The second finest." Gaara informs Itachi.

Itachi raises an eyebrow in amusement. It seemed his little red head had decided to be competitive today. Hmm should he debate with him or just humor the young Captain? It might be fun to rile him up.

"Yes, your crew is probably the second finest on the Seven Seas." He teases him.

Itachi barely manages to suppress a chuckle. It was fun to see Gaara bristle like an angry cat. Red heads were just so amusing to provoke. The entire lot of them were sinfully easy to rile.

"No, my crew is the finest and yours is the second finest." The Captain of Suna insists.

"Oh I am sure that they are a fantastic crew. They just aren't as fantastic as mine." Itachi says.

Gaara twitches. He knew that Itachi was ribbing him. Still he couldn't let that go. He unsheathes his sword.

"Take that back at once!" He warns Itachi.

Itachi smirks. He gets behind Gaara and disarms the red head. Then he pushes the feisty captain against a large barrel of ale, keeping his hands over his head.

"You are a good Captain. So protective of your crew, even when they aren't here to hear what I said." Itachi muses and he was about to lean in to steal a kiss, when one of the men started yelling.

"CAPTAINS! I SEE A ROYAL SHIP APPROACHING US!" He yelled.

"A royal ship?!" Itachi demands and the pirate nods in confirmation.

"Damn it. Try to evade them. If it comes to a battle, they likely will have the advantage when it comes to cannons." Itachi thunders.

"AYE, AYE CAPTAIN!" He says and the crew quickly scatter to their positions.

Gaara looks. Damn. It was flying an English flag. This wasn't going to be easy. Konoha was about half a day behind them. They likely wouldn't get caught up in the battle, but they wouldn't be able to tell them what happened.

"We'll have to outrun them. Sasuke and Naruto should be able to figure out that we went to the Isle of Lust." Gaara states and Itachi nods in agreement.

The English ship soon chases after them. It was apparent that whoever was in charge of that vessel, recognized the Sharingan. It was after all Itachi's ship. Itachi was one of the most wanted men in all of Europe.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The sounds of cannons was heard as the English fleet fired on the ship. Thankfully, Konan had managed to take the wheel. There were few sailors who were better than she, when it came to speed.

She was one of only a handful of women on the crew. Konan was the first women to join the Sharingan. Perhaps that was why she was so skilled. Itachi suspected that she felt she had to prove herself the equal of any of her fellow crew members.

"Can we really out sail them?" Gaara whispers to Itachi.

"We are going to try." The other Captain says.

"TAKE THAT, YOU FUCKING SCUM!" Hidan cries out madly as he fires off some of their own cannons.

Sasori sighs. Hidan really did have such a filthy mouth. It wasn't as if screaming at the other ship was going to help things. He shakes his head and mans his own cannon.

"This isn't good! Sooner or later some of those balls are going to hit our ship. We need to get to a port and hope they don't see us dock." Zetsu calls out.

"KONAN, FULL SPEED AHEAD!" Itachi cries out and the pirate woman does exactly that.

Pein quickly scales the mast. He takes out his crossbow. The English ship was gaining on them. He needed to even the odds. He takes the shot and the arrow strikes the English Captain right in the chest. He falls over dead.

"THAT SHOULD BUY US A FEW MOMENTS. GO! GO!" Pein yells.

Konan didn't need to be told twice. The Sharingan quickly sails off. She glances over her shoulder and was relieved to see they were putting some distance between them and the ship. Maybe they would get out of this alive after all.

* * *

Back on the English ship, it was complete chaos. Their Captain was dead. The First Mate had to step in. He was a young man named Haku. Despite his youth, he was a fine sailor.

"Captain, what are we to do now?!" Someone asks.

"We will give Zabuza, a proper burial and pursue them as far as we can. Someone get in touch with Kakashi. This has been allowed to go on for far too long. Her Majesty will not be pleased at this latest attack. The best way to kill a pirate, is to send another pirate after them. Kakashi is the best privateer we have. If anyone can avenge our Captain, it is he!" Haku exclaims.

Some of the crew members looked at Haku as if they feared he had gone mad. Captain Kakashi had a reputation that could make anyone's blood run cold. Many were shocked that the Queen would have such a man in her employment to begin with.

"Aye, aye Captain." One mutters and goes off to pen the letter.

He didn't agree with this. It was the height of lunacy. You don't put down a mad dog, by sending another after it. If you did, you should expect to get bitten. Grief must be making Haku act this way. Everyone knew that he and the Captain had been lovers.

**Dear Kakashi,**

**We humbly request your aid. Our ship encountered the Sharingan. We gave chase. They are trying to out sail us as we speak.**

**It pains me to say this, but our Captain did not survive the encounter. We simply must put an end to this. You are the only man that we know of, who can do it. Please tell us that you will assist us in this endeavor. I'm certain that the Queen would reward you most handsomely, if you do so.**

**Sincerely, Mifune**

He sighs and sends the letter off. Honestly, the elderly sailor didn't think anything good was going to come of this. Haku was grieving. It was understandable, but didn't make it any less of a foolish decision.

"Did you send the letter?" Haku asks a few minutes later, when he enters Mifune's cabin.

"Yes, I did. You realize that Kakashi is a loose cannon, right? This may very well backfire on all of us." The other sailor demands.

Haku bites back a snarl. He knew exactly what kind of man Kakashi was. He was the kind of man who was a survivor. The CopyCat Pirate had never lost a battle, not even to his late lover. If anyone could take down the Sharingan, it would be him.

"I am aware of that. Be that as it may, the man gets results. Whatever your opinion of him, you can not deny that." Haku replies.

Mifune sighs and nods. That much is true. Still he couldn't suppress the feeling unease that was building in his gut. Instinct told him that this would not end well and he had long ago learned to trust his instincts.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Sannin Port, Jiraiya and Tsunade were having a meeting. The two pirates knew that a decision would have to be made quickly. What were they going to do with Orochimaru's island?

"We've managed to keep it from spiraling out of control for this long, but that won't always be the case. The smartest thing that we could do would be to sell it." Tsunade muses as she takes another hearty drink from her glass of ale.

The ale was powerful. The busty blonde prided herself on her excellent taste when it came to liquor. She sold the finest drinks in the world, in her mind.

"You may well be right. Still that begs the question. Who could we sell it to and what would be a fair price?" The white haired man replies to his drinking companion.

Tsunade smirks. She does her best to bite back a laugh. A fair price? Since when did either of them care about fairness?

"As much as they are willing to offer. Still you are right, we have to choose carefully. Neither of us wants to deal with some upstart, who will try to take over all three isles." The pirate woman admits.

Jiraiya nods. That was the biggest problem. He and Tsunade were not as young as they used to be. Quite honestly, they had already lived at least 30, if not 40 years longer than the 'average pirate.' There would always be some newcomer, who thought that he or she could make a name for themselves by challenging a Sannin. It never ended well for them, but it was annoying.

"We will need someone wealthy. Someone who wants land and doesn't mind using it for less than ethical purposes, but whose ambition is fairly limited. Hmm… this is a difficult decision." He muses.

"Obito might be a good choice. He certainly has the money and the man has become a recluse in recent years." Tsunade suggests.

Jiraiya considers her suggestion. It was a good one. There was just one problem. The blonde wasn't kidding when she called him a recluse. It was almost impossible to find the man. Oh well. They would manage.

"That's a good suggestion. The only issue would be finding him. Do we have any other candidates?" He asks.

"Well there is always the English Queen. She might want one of the Isles so she can monitor the pirates that come through this region." His friend continues.

Jiraiya immediately shakes his head. A Monarch would put an end to their less than ethical activities. He couldn't allow that to happen. A man had to have some fun, did he not?

"Not a good idea. She could well afford it, but she would ruin all of our fun. You know as well as I, that I speak the truth on this matter." The elderly pirate chides her gently.

"Yes, I suppose that's true. Well she might not shut my business down. She would certainly close yours though. You filthy deviant." Tsunade teases him.

Jiraiya shrugs. He had certainly been called worse. He was used to the other Sannin's gentle teasing by now. It didn't impact him in the slightest.

"Perhaps, but my Isle more than keeps up with yours when it comes to producing funds. That is what we desire most, is it not?" He inquires.

"I can't not argue with that. Giving people an outlet to slake their lust, is always going to be a very profitable business venture. We both know that." She says and giggles slightly.

Jiraiya blinks. Maybe Tsunade had had too much to drink. He hadn't heard her giggle in years. It was somewhat disturbing.

"Perhaps you have had enough. You should retire for the evening. I will make certain that the rowdy patrons do not destroy your establishment. You have my word of honor on that." He promises.

"I don't need you to pretend to be my father. I am just fine. Besides, it's still early." Tsunade replies.

Jiraiya did not think two in the morning was early. Well perhaps it was for Tsunade. She did run the most infamous tavern in all the Seven Seas.

"You should get some rest. It must take quite a lot of sleep to stay that beautiful. Come now. You need to sleep it off or you will regret it in the morning." He chides her gently and Tsunade shrugs.

She gets up and allows him to lead her up the stairs. Tsunade would never allow any other man to do so. She would never allow another man to boss her around. Jiraiya was different though. They had known each other since they were children.

"I suppose you are right. Good night, Jiraiya. See what you can do about getting in touch with Obito. I'm certain that if he is unreachable, we can find another buyer." The elderly woman says.

"I will see what I can do. I make no promises. The man is harder to find than Kurama's treasure sometimes." Jiraiya declares with open amusement.

"I can argue with you there." Tsunade agrees and shuts the door behind her.

She sighs as she looks out the window of her room. The sky was just beginning to lighten. That's when she saw the red. Uh oh.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning." She murmurs to herself.

Like most pirates, she was superstitious by nature. That was certainly a very bad omen. The busty blonde considers going to find Jiraiya Then she shakes her head. He would just laugh her off. He was one of the few pirates that didn't believe in good luck or bad luck. Jiraiya always said he made his own luck.

"Best stock up on supplies. We are likely going to need it." She muses.

Tsunade had survived to the age of fifty-five because she was always prepared. Most pirates were lucky to live to see their 25th or 30th year, but she and Jiraiya were different. They were a team. He had the people skills and she had the intelligence that meant they would always find a way to land on their feet. This time would be no different.


	4. More Specific

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pirates continue on their quest for Kurama's Treasure, but they aren't the only ones boldly pursuing their goals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

"If we stop at the nearest port, they will likely find us. That's a damn large ship they are on. We can probably out sail them, if we continue straight on until we reach the Isle of Lust. I doubt anyone in the English fleet is mad enough to follow us there." Gaara says.

Itachi considers Gaara's words. Instinct told him to dock as soon as possible, but the red head was right. The English would realize that was likely their next move. The other Captain's suggestion was a sound one.

"Very well. Keep sailing towards the Isle of Lust, Konan." Itachi instructs the pirate woman.

"Yes, Captain!" The blue haired woman replies and continues steering the vessel onward.

Itachi nods. He looks back and was relieved to see that the English ship was a bit further away than it had been before. It was likely they were still reeling from the death of their Captain.

"Good shot, Hidan. Yeah?!" Deidara says.

"Thanks, Princess." Hidan replies as he scans the horizon, just as his Captain was doing.

Gaara couldn't shake his feeling of unease. That had been just a little bit too easy. The English fleet should have posed more of a challenge, even if it was just one ship. Itachi must have sensed his unease because he places his hand on the other man's shoulder reassuringly.

"When a Captain dies, even the strongest ship and finest crew will scramble for a few minutes. Hidan bought us some time. There is no one who can sail faster than Konan. We will make it out of this just fine. Sasuke and Naruto are smart enough to head to the Isle of Lust. You'll see." The Sharingan Captain says.

Gaara nods. That was true. A crew who just lost their Captain was bound to be one that was in disarray. Still such knowledge didn't completely soothe his anxieties. He glances back at the ship that was now in the distance and sighs. The English were not going to just forget about this incident.

Itachi gestures for Gaara to follow him back into the Cabin. The younger man does so without compliant. The last thing they needed was for the two Captains to be seen arguing.

"You're right to be worried, but I have every confidence that we will make it to the Isle of Lust long before they can catch us. Be at peace." Itachi tells him.

"We can out sail them this time, but what about next time? I try not to make a habit out of provoking royal fleets. I prefer to target merchant ships. The money is good and there is less of a chance that it will be my crew's necks that will hang." The red head counters.

Itachi smiles. The Captain of Suna was a cautious man by a pirate's standards. But he couldn't argue that it had served him well. The man's stolen loot could likely rival almost anyone's.

"At the moment, there is naught that we can do about the situation. You should rest. If the crews see that you are anxious, they will share your anxiety. That will naught help any of us." The elder Uchiha reasons.

"I suppose your right. If they do attack, we'll just slit their throats or force them to walk the plank." Gaara says.

"That's better." Itachi says with a smirk and kisses the red head's forehead.

Gaara blinks at the gesture. He doesn't know if it was intended to be chaste or not. His confusion must have shown in his eyes because Itachi decides to clarify his intentions.

"I'm certain that you've heard the rumors. Some are true. Some are exaggerations. Others are outright lies, but the rumor that I prefer to take men to my bed is entirely accurate." The other pirate says.

"I have no issue with that. Many pirates prefer the companionship of other men. It does not change how I see you in the slightest." The red headed Captain replies.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Well it wasn't an outright rejection, but it wasn't a yes either. He would just have to be blunt. Sometimes the direct approach really was best.

He leans down and brushes his lips against Gaara's. He sees other Captain's eyes widen, but he wasn't protesting. So Itachi deepens the kiss for a moment and then breaks it.

"Are you certain that it doesn't change your opinion of me at all?" He whispers.

"Well perhaps a little…in a favorable way." Came the reply.

Damn it. Itachi had been outrageous flirting with him the entire trip. He had now kissed him. Whether his intentions were innocent or not, Gaara only had so much self-control.

He wraps his arms around Itachi's neck. The younger man then proceeds to kiss him. Gaara poured everything he had into that kiss. All of his lust, his fear, and his longing for the other man. If they were possibly going to get hung by the English, at least he could say that he finally knew what it was like to kiss the pirate that had stolen his heart.

"You act rather shy for someone who can kiss like that." Itachi says, after returning the kiss.

His red head tasted of strawberries and red wine. For a man, his lips were surprisingly soft. That was countered by how aggressive he was with his tongue. There was a primal passion in the smaller man's kiss that Itachi did find rather intriguing.

"That wasn't an act. I have always felt…drawn to you. I just didn't know if the feeling was mutual. I thought your flirtations might have been a game for you. Something for you to pass the time and amuse yourself with." The red head admits.

"While I would like to play many kinds of games with you, you were never just a passing amusement." Itachi assures him and Gaara smiles.

* * *

Meanwhile Kakashi was back in the English Castle. Well one of the English Castles. There were many castles in England, after all. This happened to be the Queen's favorite though. So it was special in his mind.

Though Kakashi was only in his early thirties, his hair was as gray as an old man. He had just been born that way. If anyone dared to call his hair gray to his face though, he'd gut them like a fish. Smart people had learned a long time ago that the proper way to refer his hair was silver, not gray.

That was likely just one of the many reasons, why so many objected to his close relationship with the Queen. Kakashi didn't care though. The Queen was more annoyed at their gossiping than anything else. He knew his place in the Inner Circle and it was usually between the Queen's creamy thighs.

"Lord Hatake, the Queen will see you now." He hears one of the guards say.

"Thank you." Kakashi replies simply, finding the title to be rather amusing.

He was the furthest thing possible from a Lord. Kakashi was not of royal or noble blood. He was as common as they came.

His family had been poor, like much of the peasantry class. So when the opportunity to earn some extra money came, they took it. Kakashi had been a boy of ten when he joined a his first crew. It was a merchant ship. Most of his duties had consisted of floor mopping and other menial tasks. Still he had made the most of the opportunity.

"Good evening, Your Majesty. I trust you are well." Kakashi says as he heads into the Royal Throne room.

"Quite well. Thank you. Was your voyage a fruitful one?" The Queen asks.

Kakashi had listened to the sailors. While they hadn't gone out of their way to teach him anything useful, he learned everything he needed to know about running a ship. When his time on the merchant's ship was over, he had been able to find work on another. On that ship, he had managed to impress the Captain and become a more respectable member of the crew. Well at the very least he hadn't spent most of his time swapping the deck!

"Very fruitful, Your Highness. The royal coffers will be quite a bit fuller after my men have placed our haul into them." He states with a smile.

It had taken him ten years, but he had finally saved up enough money for his own ship. It had been a modest vessel, but he had used it to his full advantage. Once word of skillful privacy spread, somehow he caught the attention of the Queen.

Kakashi liked many things about the Queen. Of course there was her beauty and she was an excellent lover, but she was also a practical woman. She had spent several years in jail, while her elder sister was on the throne.

Her sister had gone mad with paranoia and thought that her sibling was plotting to assassinate her. Somehow she had outlived her sister and became Queen. The woman was a survivor.

"Excellent. That is good news to her indeed. Unfortunately, I expect that a war with the Spanish is unavoidable. We are going to need every coin we can get, if we are to defeat them. Their Armada is formidable." She states.

"Even the mightiest ship can be sunk, if struck just the right way. I would not fret on it." Kakashi assures her.

"How can I fret with you at my side?" She asks with a sly smile and reaches out her hand to her lover.

"Is that all you want me at? Only your side?" He asks as he takes her hand and sits with her on the throne.

Mei smiles. She was fortunate. So far she was the only English Queen of her age, that had not been forced to marry. That was not for a lack of trying on her advisors part though.

It wasn't that she was against the idea of marriage. She just knew that it couldn't be. Her lover was never a man that the noble classes would tolerate as King. Kakashi's origins were far too common for that to happen and his recent history far too scandalous. He was a legalized pirate and that was that. She didn't care though.

"Oh I can think of a few other places that I would like to have you. Though I do have some concerns. What do you know about the Sharingan and Konoha?" She asks.

"Pirate ships. The Sharingan is owned by a pair of brothers. Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. They are very dedicated to each other. Konoha's Captain is a man named Naruto Uzumaki. The brothers are ruthless, but Naruto is reckless. Amongst the pirates, they are all feared and respected. Why do you ask, My Queen?" He inquires.

"I have heard whispers about them amongst the nobles. I wanted to know if they are a concern to us." She says.

Kakashi tilts his head to the side. Hmm. Well that was actually a good question. It seemed unlikely, but still he knew better than to say no.

"I find it unlikely. They will go after a royal vessel if they think they can get it, but they don't target us specifically. They are just as likely to go after a Spanish ship as one of our own." He says.

"Good. Well now that that unpleasant business is out of the way, shall we enjoy a stroll through the gardens." She asks with a smile.

"Yes, a _stroll_ through your _gardens_ does sound lovely." He says with a smile and walks off with his Queen.

* * *

Back on Konoha, Sasuke frowns. Itachi should have responded to his letter by now. Something was wrong. He could tell that Naruto had noticed it as well.

"We'll just have to keep heading towards the Isle of Lust and go on the assumption that they sailed there. If we can not find them, we will write the port that was closest to us currently." The blonde says.

"So you do have some brains in that head of yours, after all. I was beginning to wonder." Sasuke says.

"You are such a bastard! I meant what I said! I'm not going to tolerate this level of disrespect. I am your Captain as long as you are on Konoha!" Naruto thunders at him.

Sasuke smirks. It was far too easy to rile him up. He knew that he should feel guilty, but he didn't. He wanted to see what the blonde would do when he snapped. Maybe he'd get a good fight out of it.

"You are the Captain of Konoha, but you are not my Captain." Sasuke says as he walks off.

Naruto growls. Oh that was it! Gorgeous or not, that First Mate was going to end up walking the plank at this rate. He chases after him.

He was blocked though. Jugo got between them. The giant of a man was so massive that Naruto felt like he had just run into a brick wall.

"You know this whole pet dog thing is getting really annoying!" Naruto snaps at Sasuke.

"Don't refer to him as a dog or I will run you through." Sasuke snaps right back at the blonde.

"I am not his dog. I am his shield. If you attack him, you are attacking me as well." Jugo warns Naruto.

Suigetsu and Karin watch from their position of sitting on top of some large barrels of ale. Oh boy. This could get ugly and quickly. The two of them look at each other, as if silently asking if they should step in or not.

"This is madness. You two can not keep bickering like this! We need both of you to work together. Sasuke, the Sharingan crew listens to you. They respect you. Naruto, you are the Captain of this ship. If the two crews see their leaders fighting like this, it won't end well. We'll end up fighting each other, instead of finding treasure!" Sakura exclaims.

Sasuke sighs. As much as he was loathed to admit it, the pink haired woman had a point. Treasure came before pleasure. Always.

You generally needed treasure to engage in activities that resulted in pleasure. Drinking, gambling, or other more deviant acts were some examples. Not that he had ever had to pay to get someone into his bed, but still.

"She's right." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto just gapes at Sakura. He wasn't sure how the female member of his crew had gotten Sasuke to behave, but he was grateful. He sighs and approaches Sasuke.

Jugo had apparently decided it was safe to let the blonde through. The blue eyed pirate couldn't help but resent the orange haired man just a little bit. He was ALWAYS by Sasuke. He was like his fucking shadow or something.

"So are you going to be a good First Mate?" The captain asks.

"I'm the BEST First Mate…when I want to be. I still think Itachi is mad for agreeing to this journey in the first place, but Sakura is right. If we are seen fighting, it won't end well." Sasuke says and sighs.

He privately was mourning the loss of his fun. Of course the First Mate wouldn't admit that out loud. Sasuke would just have to find another way to entertain himself while on this adventure.

"We are all a little mad. If we weren't, we wouldn't be pirates." Naruto replies.

Sasuke smirks at that. Well that much was true. Maybe the boisterous Captain would still keep him entertained, even if they weren't fighting. He was actually…amusing.

"That much is true. I shouldn't have provoked you. I suppose I just miss my ship and my brother. You are just so easy to rile up, that I couldn't resist." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Apology accepted!" Naruto says brightly.

"Oh that wasn't an apology." Sasuke says with smirk and Naruto raises an eyebrow.

"How was that not an apology, you bastard?!" The blue eyed man demands.

Sasuke Uchiha never apologized. Neither did Itachi. They were pirates and had decided long ago that pirates didn't bother with things like apologies. They were pointless.

"I said I shouldn't have done it. I didn't say that I was sorry I had." The Uchiha elaborates.

"That makes no sense!" Naruto protests at his First Mate's very strange logic.

"It doesn't have to. Good night, Captain." Sasuke says as he heads off with Jugo.

Naruto saw Jugo slide his hand around Sasuke's waist. He knew that the giant was likely just trying to make sure that the Uchiha wouldn't do anything stupid. Still it bothered him. He didn't like seeing the other man touching him.

* * *

Jugo leads Sasuke into his cabin. He shuts the door behind him. Sasuke rolls his eyes. He knew what was coming.

"You and Naruto really need to stop having these lovers' spats." He says.

"We aren't having lovers' spats. We aren't lovers. I know that the position looked suggestive, but that isn't what happened." Sasuke protests.

Jugo gives him a look. It was Sasuke. He knew the man like the back of his hand. He knew what was really going on, even if the First Mate didn't want to admit it to himself.

"You might not be lovers, but you want to be. Other than Itachi, no one's seriously challenged you in a long time. You are used to being in control. Now that you aren't, you don't know how to handle it. So you are lashing out at him because you want him." Jugo says.

"Jugo, don't try to understand what is going on in my mind. I assure you that it is not a place you want to visit." Sasuke warns him.

Sasuke frowns. Jugo's words cut deeper than they should have. Yes, Naruto was very pleasant to look at, but did he actually want him? Maybe. It was fun to taunt him and he could still remember the feeling of Naruto pressing up behind him.

Sasuke shivers as he remembers that incident in vivid detail. Goosebumps slowly formed on his arms. That's when he was forced to admit that his friend was right. Damned if he was going to admit that out loud though.

* * *

Back on the Isle of the Lost, Rin sighs as she wipes her blade. It was stained red with blood. Far more blood than even she was accustomed to. That was certainly saying something because she was an assassin by trade.

Every since Orochimaru's death, the Isle had sunk deeper and deeper into the depths of depravity and cruelty. Oh Tsunade and Jiraiya tried to watch over it, but they had their own Isle to attend to. There was really only so much they could do.

"Well that's another one down." The bartender says as he observes Rin.

"That's the fourteenth man this week. This is becoming tedious. I do hope that the Sannin sell this Isle soon. I would like to be able to find work, without having to leave a trail of bodies behind me. Bodies that I am not getting paid for." She mutters.

The bartender nods. He had been working at the Isle for years. Never before Orochimaru's death, had it been this chaotic. Quite honestly, if it wasn't for Rin, he wasn't sure that he would still be breathing.

Sometimes he wondered how such a beautiful woman had become an assassin. Surely, she must have had offers of marriage. He knew better than to ask though. Prying would only lead you to an early grave on the Isle of the Lost.

"I have to admit, I would prefer it if they were more focused on killing their targets than each other and having a go at me." He confesses.

Rin chuckles. Well she certainly couldn't blame the man there. She imagined most people would share his viewpoint on the subject.

She sighs as she looks around and assesses the damage. Tonight she had killed two men. They had been drunk off their arses and having a go at each other. Unfortunately, others were getting dragged into it. So she had put an end to it.

She calmly walks over to the bulletin board. On this board were a list of potential targets. It listed who was paying, how much, who they wanted dead, and sometimes what manner the wanted that person dispatched in. She skims through the names.

"Kakashi?" She whispers when she read the name.

Rin's eyes widen in shock. Could it really be the same boy that she had grown up with. She had no idea what became of her two friends, after Kakashi had become a cabin boy and Obito had been taken off to become a blacksmith apprentice.

Was it possible he was still alive? If it was him, someone wanted him dead badly. It was almost unheard of to see such a large payout listed. She takes the paper and rips it to shreds.

"I don't know if it's really you, Kakashi. But if it is, I won't let someone take your head." She mutters to herself.

She grabs another glass of ale and heads out of the tavern. Granted the Liquor Isle had better drinks, but this would do. She didn't care much for the flavor. She just wanted something strong enough to banish away the memories, at least for a little while.

There was no point in dwelling on the past. Rin had learned that long ago. That was how she had managed to become such an excellent assassin. Almost as quickly she killed her victims, they were forgotten.

"It's not as though the world will miss them." She muses to herself as she takes a hearty sip of her ale.

Rin got to choose her missions. She made it a habit to only kill those that she felt were deserving of death. No man or woman on her kill list was ever completely innocent. That made accepting blood money, easier for her.

The assassin looks up at the sky. She saw a shooting star. She smiles. It was a foolish notion, she realized that. Still Rin could not help but make her wish anyway.

Did the woman expect it to come true? Of course not. Perhaps it was the ale that made her do it, but she continues on with the sentimental tradition anyway.

"I wish that I could find them and that they were still alive." She whispers at the dark starry night sky.

Little did Rin know that her wish would come true. Just not in the way she expected. But those were minor details. She really should have been more specific.


	5. Keep the Mutt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As tempers flare between Sasuke and Naruto, Gaara and Itachi grow closer while Kakashi sets sail on behalf of his queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

A few days pass and Sasuke felt himself twitch. Kiba was doing it again. He was laughing just a little too loudly and standing just a little too close to Naruto for his liking. What really irritated Sasuke though was the fact that he cared.

Naruto wasn't his lover. Sasuke didn't have any claim over the blonde Captain. He knew that in his head. His gut didn't though.

Every instinct was telling him just to walk over there and introduce Kiba's face to his fist. Stupid dog.

"Sasuke, why are you glaring at Kiba so much?" Karin asks once she notices the First Mate's rather sour mood.

"I'm not glaring at Kiba." The youngest Uchiha lies.

He hopes that Karin would believe him. If she didn't, he hoped that she had the decency to pretend that she did. Sasuke could hardly tell her the truth. It was humiliating.

He was jealous of that stupid mutt. That pirate was hanging all over Naruto. To make matters worse, Sasuke wasn't even sure that Kiba was interested in men. He might just be an overly social individual. It was hard to tell.

"Alright. If you say so. But you might want to not glare at him so much. He's going to notice at this rate." She says with a wink and saunters off.

Sasuke sighs. Why him? Why did he have to be attracted to a rival pirate? A rival private that he had taken (and still took) great joy in taunting. It wasn't fair. Well there was one small (or rather large) consolation. He knew that Naruto was very interested in men. That hadn't been his sword that was pressing up against Sasuke's backside when Naruto shoved him against the wall. The blonde was definitely physically attracted to him in a very **_big_** way.

"I'll be back in a few moments." Naruto tells Kiba as he heads over to Sasuke.

Sasuke hadn't been very subtle. Naruto was honestly starting to fear for Kiba's safety. It was clear the Sharingan's First Mate was glaring daggers at his canine loving friend and he was going to find out why.

"Sasuke, what's wrong? You've been in a foul mood all night." Naruto observes.

"Nothing is wrong and I have not." The dark haired man lies effortlessly.

He was a pirate. Sasuke had a lot of practice with lying. He knew that he was good at it. So he expected the blonde to take his word for it and to drop the matter immediately. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

"Sasuke, I am the Captain of this ship. If you keep lying to me, I will not hesitate to throw your arse overboard. What's troubling you?" Naruto asks again.

"I'd like to see you try to throw me overboard, but alright. I'll tell you. Kiba smells like a wet dog. I don't care for it." He mutters.

That wasn't a lie. Kiba did smell like a wet dog. It was mildly irritating, but something he could easily overlook. He'd certainly smelled sailors with worse scents. Still it was a convenient excuse to explain why he was staring. He couldn't exactly tell Naruto the truth.

"Well that's because he has a dog. We aren't getting rid of the dog. He's a great guard dog and very loyal!" Naruto exclaims.

"Fine. Keep the mutt. I don't care. Just tell Kiba to wash up more. It's annoying." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Naruto just shakes his head. He didn't know if he bought it. Sasuke was a pirate. He wasn't some pampered noblewoman. He shouldn't be complaining about something as minor as a bad smell. He might not be lying to him, but he wasn't telling him the whole story either.

"Captain! Is everything okay?" Kiba asks as he heads over to them.

"Yes. Everything is fine. I was just having a chat with me First Mate. Nothing to worry about." The blonde says and shoots him a reassuring smile.

"Exactly. Stay out of it, mutt." Sasuke practically growls at Kiba.

Kiba glares at Sasuke. What was this man's problem? Why was he growling and glaring at him all night? It was really fucking annoying.

"You got a problem?" He demands.

"Yeah. I got a problem. You smell like wet dog and don't know when to mind your own business. Naruto was talking to me, not you. Back off. Go play with your dog." Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto blinks. Oh boy. This was going to get ugly and fast. Experience told him that he had to separate Sasuke and Kiba as soon as possible. He didn't want a brawl to break out in front of both crews. That would only end in a disaster.

"Kiba, I'm going to talk to him. Don't worry about it. Sasuke, come with me. This is getting ridiculous." Naruto says as he practically drags his First Mate off.

He shoves Sasuke inside one of the cabins and locks the door behind him. He was going to get to the bottom of this. There was no way that he could allow whatever this was to continue between Sasuke and Kiba. He needed all of the crews to get along, especially if they were ever going to find Kurama's treasure!

"I can't let you pick fights with my crew members. So you better tell me what the real problem is." Naruto growls at him.

"I don't like him." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Well that's too damn bad. He's been a loyal crew member for years. He's a damn fine pirate. He's good at his job. Kiba is going to be an asset on our treasure hunt! I'm sure you've had to work with people you didn't like before. So suck it up!" Naruto snaps at him.

Sasuke knew that he was being childish. He just hated to see the mutt hanging all over his blonde. The Uchiha was smart enough to realize that he was being irrational. He wasn't Naruto's lover. The blue eyed Captain didn't owe him anything, yet he couldn't help it.

"Fine. If you treat Jugo better, I'll try to be politer to Kiba." He mutters in disgust.

"I don't like Jugo!" The blonde growls at him.

"Well to quote you, " _Too damn bad. Suck it up!"_ Sasuke throws his earlier words back in his face.

"Oh that's it! I've tried to be patient with you. I know you are used to being treated more like a co-captain than a First Mate. I know you miss your brother, but I'm done tolerating your sassing me!" Naruto thunders at him.

Sasuke smirks. He liked the fire in the blonde's eyes when he was furious. It was truly glorious to witness. While he was busy admiring said glory, Naruto grabs him and throws Sasuke onto the bed.

"What the hell?!" Sasuke growls at Naruto.

"So I'm just going to have to punish you. Maybe you'll learn some respect after you've been disciplined!" The Captain of Konoha says.

Sasuke tries to get off the bed. Naruto pins him down over the edge of it though. He shivers. Maybe he had pushed the blonde just a little bit too far. He could feel the power in Naruto's frame when he held him down like this. It both excited and terrified him.

"I don't know what you have in mind, but I don't need any discipline. I'm not some child, that needs a scolding!" Sasuke growls.

"Well now that you mention it, that's a great idea. I should punish you exactly like a poorly behaved child." Naruto says with a smirk.

**Warning Spanking Scene**

Before Sasuke could ask exactly what Naruto meant by that, he felt the blonde tugging off his trousers. His eyes widen. Naruto wouldn't dare!

"I could use a belt or a paddle, but I don't really want to mar that pretty skin of yours. Women everywhere should be jealous." Naruto muses.

He figured that comparing Sasuke to a woman would insult his pride. He had to drive the point home. Naruto was the Captain of this ship, not Sasuke. Sasuke had better respect him or there would be consequences.

"My skin is not pretty." Sasuke growls and tries to wiggle out of Naruto's hold.

"Oh yes, it is. Prettier than any maid's." Naruto muses and keeps the feisty First Mate firmly pinned down.

It was true. Naruto quite liked Sasuke's luminous looking skin. It looked like the moonlight made flesh. The fact that he had such a firm, shapely backside just further added to the appeal.

"You are such an idiot!" Sasuke snarls at him and thrashes underneath him.

SMACK! Naruto smacked Sasuke's bare ass hard with his hand. It was a pity that said beautiful skin belonged to such a disrespectful owner. It almost seemed like Sasuke got off on provoking him.

"You are a dead man! How fucking dare you treat me in such a fashion!?" Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto knew it was wrong, but there was something really erotic about the situation. He could feel Sasuke's muscles underneath his hands. The First Mate had a lot of raw power in his body. It was a rush to know that he could pin him like this. It made him feel powerful.

The sight of that gorgeous arse thrashing about and turning a lovely light shade of pink was arousing as well. By God was that the erotic thing he'd ever seen in his life. Sasuke's sassy mouth wasn't helping either. It made him want to just plow into the other man and take him hard and fast against the mattress of the bed.

"I'm your Captain. If you prefer, I could throw your pretty arse overboard. Now take your punishment like a man. You know damn well that you have earned this and you deserve worse than I'm giving you." He growls.

Sasuke snarls at Naruto. Despite his protests, he knew that at the moment it was more bark than bite. It didn't actually hurt, at least not in a way that didn't feel good. It was exciting to have finally met someone who dared to challenge him.

He'd never been treated like this in his entire life before. He'd always been the dominant lover, whether his partner was a man or a woman. No one had ever dared to smack his bottom before, much less threaten him.

The worst part? He could feel his cock slowly getting hard from the treatment. His body apparently _LIKED_ it on some level. He knew that he had to end this before Naruto noticed his growing problem.

"Fuck you!" Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto was really tempted to do just that. Instead he caresses the slightly irritated skin on Sasuke's very much fuck-able backside. He didn't actually want to hurt him. He just knew he had to be firm with the Hellcat.

"You wish. Now shut up and take your punishment like a man. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been so prissy." Naruto says and smacks him again.

Sasuke yips. That one actually smarted a little. Any minor pain was soothed away when Naruto caressed it though.

The combination of harsh and gentle touches was turning him on more and more. This was going to get really awkward soon. He gulps. Shit. Sasuke knew he was going to have to swallow his pride and apologize.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Three swift strikes came down on his arse. Sasuke squirms as he felt the slight sting and then gentle caress that accompanied each strike.

**End Spanking Scene**

"Alright! Alright! I won't do it again. I'll play nicely with the mutt." Sasuke mutters after being spanked repeatedly.

"That's better." Naruto growls approvingly.

* * *

Meanwhile back on the Sharingan, Itachi sighs in relief when the Triangle of Death came into view. Idly, he knew that was strange. Most people would have been utterly terrified to realize they were entering the Triangle of Death, but he wasn't. He was just relieved.

"We out sailed them." Gaara states.

"Indeed we did. Tell the crew they can follow us onto the Isle of Lust. We'll go into the tavern and get some rooms for the night. Sasuke and Naruto shouldn't be that far behind us." Itachi says.

The red head nods. He quickly gives the crews the orders and they all head towards the tavern. The younger Captain laces his fingers with Itachi as he does so. The two of them walk hand in hand into the infamous establishment.

He didn't feel the need to hide his relationship with Itachi, especially not on the Isle of Lust. Two men being together was commonplace here. Actually it was likely one of the tamer 'taboos' that was likely to be broken in these walls.

"Have you ever been here before?" Itachi whispers to Gaara and the red head shakes his head.

He had never actually been to the Triangle of Death before. Of course he wasn't naïve. He had heard the rumors about the three isles. Gaara just never actually intended to visit them, yet here he was.

"This might be a little jarring for you then." The elder Uchiha says.

Gaara blinks once they were inside. The scent of sex and liquor hung heavily in the air. The SOUNDS of lovers locked in the heat of passion boomeranged all across the building. What was more shocking though was the sight of said lovers locked in the heat of passion. They certainly were not shy by any stretch of the imagination.

He didn't consider himself a prude by any means. Still it was rather shocking to see one man getting ravished against a table. The more submissive of the two was begging for more. So at least Gaara knew that it was entirely consensual.

"Well that does look like a rather _pleasurable_ way to spend an evening." Itachi notes with a sly smile.

Gaara had to refrain from gaping at Itachi. They were involved romantically now. At least he thought they were.

They had exchanged many kisses. Itachi didn't seem to have an issue with being affectionate towards him in front of the crew, but they weren't lovers yet. Now Itachi was talking about having sex on a table with everyone watching?!

"Well they do certainly seem to be enjoying themselves." Gaara mutters.

"Don't tell me that you are so innocent you have never thought about it." Itachi says with open amusement as he caresses his red head's cheek.

Truly, he was a wonder. He had heard more than once that Gaara could easily slit the throats of a dozen or more men without batting an eyelash. Yet the thought of exhibition, suddenly turned him into a bashful innocent.

"Thought about what?" Gaara asks.

"Being with your lover while others are watching." He clarifies.

"Maybe a little. It's nothing that I've given serious consideration to before though. What about yourself? You do not seem too shocked by such behavior." The red head notes.

Itachi chuckles. He knew that there was very little possibility that Gaara had never taken a lover before. He was a pirate. Though he did appear to be tame in what games he had played with them in the past.

That wasn't to say that he thought Gaara was boring. That wasn't it at all. There was so much passion to his kisses.. He just needed to explore his passion more. Itachi was more than willing to help him with that. It was an appealing thought to say the least.

"It does have its appeal to me. That's provided of course that you don't object." He replies.

"I'll have to give the matter some more consideration then." Gaara replies and Itachi smirks.

That was certainly a promising start. He had expected his almost lover to reject the idea entirely. To start off with a maybe, was far better than he had anticipated.

"Excellent." Itachi says and smiles at the other Captain.

Gaara blinks as he looks around. One pair of lovers was employing the use of a whip. He winced at that one. The red head didn't understand how THAT was pleasurable.

"No to the whips." He mutters.

"I wouldn't dream of marring your skin in such a fashion." Itachi assures him and kisses his cheek.

"Good because I wouldn't allow it." The younger man informs him and Itachi smirks.

He did adore the Captain's feisty spirit. Gaara might be slightly shy when it came intimacy, at least initially. But in all other matters, he was certainly every inch a fiery red head.

"I would be disappointed if you did. Come. Let's get a room for the night." Itachi says and walks over to the bartender.

"We would like a room for the day. We can pay whatever the price is." Gaara says and flashes some gold coin.

The bartender nods. He hands them a key with the number seven on it. He gestures for them to follow him up the stairs. There were several doors in the hall. Each of them had a number displayed upon them in a rather prominent fashion.

After a short walk, they arrive by a door that had a seven etched into the oak wood. The man shoves the key into the door and turns the knob. Gaara and Itachi quickly head inside, after thanking the man.

"Well it is a nice room." The red head muses and Itachi nods in agreement.

"I imagine that if my brother and Naruto haven't killed each other yet, they will be following us shortly. We may as well make ourselves comfortable. Would you like a drink?" He asks and gestures to a bottle of wine that had been left out.

"Aye." Gaara says simply and Itachi pours them each a glass.

"To us finding Kurama's Treasure and possibly seeing how strong those tables are." Itachi says with a smirk.

"To us finding Kurama's Treasure and I said that I would consider it!" Gaara protests as he clinks his glass with Itachi's.

* * *

Back in England, Kakashi blinks when the letter arrives. It was from Captain Haku. He frowns as he reads that name. He couldn't remember any Captains named Haku and he was sure that he knew every Captain in the English Fleet!

The baffled silver haired man reads the letter. He soon realized why he didn't know any Captain Hakus. The man had been a First Mate. His Captain had been slain by pirates. Now the young man wanted Kakashi's help in getting revenge.

"Hmm he wants revenge. That does sound rather personal. They were probably lovers." He muses to himself.

Well Haku was right. Queen Mei probably would reward him handsomely if he could take down the Sharingan. Still was it worth the effort?

He had everything he wanted. His trade had made him a very wealthy man. Kakashi might never be a noble, but he was as rich as one. His lover was beautiful and happened to be the Queen of England. Really what was there to gain by going after the Sharingan?

Well it would be a grand adventure. That much was for certain. It would be entertaining to test his skills against Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. The two brothers had cultivated quite the impressive reputation for themselves. He did love a challenge.

"Mei would likely appreciate it." He murmurs to himself.

After all, the Sharingan had apparently killed an English Captain. That was a great offense to England. He very much doubted his feisty Queen would take such a thing laying down.

He sighs and heads off to find Mei. Kakashi knew the wisest course of action was to discuss this with her. The silver haired man didn't want his lover to worry, if he suddenly disappeared after all. He might be a pirate, but he did have some consideration for her.

"My Queen, may I speak with you alone for a moment?" Kakashi asks.

"Of course." Mei says and she dismisses her advisors from her throne room.

"What troubles you? You look as thought something is weighing quite heavily on that wonderfully wicked mind of yours." She observes.

Kakashi sighs. He shows her the letter. The pirate allows her a few moments to read it and then waits for her reaction.

"Well we certainly can not allow such an insult to go unanswered. I shall miss you while you are gone, but I have every confidence that you will return to me. You always do." Mei states.

He smiles. Kakashi kisses her. That was one of the things that he liked best about Mei. She never made a fess. It was rare to find such a practical and beautiful woman. (Even rarer still to find one that ruled over an entire country)!

Mei smiles and kisses back. She loved this man. It was a pity that he was born to a common family. There was nothing she could do about it though. Thankfully, most of her subjects still actually believed she was a virgin queen. (Sometimes she thought the sheep might be smarter than most of the populace)...

"Yes, I always do and I always will. I suppose I should get going. It will take time to prepare a crew and they already have a head start." He murmurs and caresses her cheek.

"Yes, you should get going. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back to me. Stay safe." She whispers.

Kakashi nods and heads out of the throne room with a sigh. He would have preferred to spend his days curled up beside his lover, but well a pirate's job was never really done. Oh well. At least this would prove to be a grand adventure.

He quickly heads to his room and starts penning letters. This would allow him to get some of the finest sailors in the English fleet to join up with him and quickly. There really were advantages to being able to use the Royal Seal of England on your letters.

"Well I suppose I should gather up my things and head to the docks. They'll be there shortly." He muses and does exactly that.

* * *

The next day, Kakashi stood at the docks. He smirks when he sees Captain Gai approaching him. The man was…eccentric, but a damn fine pirate. He would make a very useful addition to his crew.

"I'm glad you could make it." The silver haired pirate says.

"What are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world. It will be just like old times, eh Kakashi?" He asks cheerfully.

Kakashi couldn't help but nod. He leads his friend to the ship that they would set sail on. Another advantage of being the Queen's lover was that you were generally gifted with the finest ship that you could ask for. (Well, if you were a pirate like him, anyway).

"Yes, exactly. We are going after a ship known as the Sharingan. It's Captain is Itachi Uchiha and his brother Sasuke, is his First Mate." He explains.

"The Uchiha brothers? Well this isn't going to be easy. Oh well with the power of youth on our side, nothing can stand in our way!" Gai says and Kakashi just nods his head in agreement. (He was so used to his friend's antics, that he was no longer phrased by them now).


	6. The Lot of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konan makes a very good point about the Sharingan Crew as everyone prepares for the adventure of a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Though I"m uncertain how quickly I'll be able to update, I have no intention of abandoning this story.

"So where are we going to look for the brothers first?" Gai asks Kakashi as they set sail.

"The port nearest to where the incident happened would seem to be a good start." Kakashi muses and nods in agreement.

The silver haired pirate leans over the side of the ship. The ship was just beginning to take off and he knew that dolphins were known to live by this port. He quite liked dolphins. They were amusing creatures.

"Do you think they'll hang for this?" Gai asks as he pours them each a flask of hearty ale.

"If we capture them alive, I'd be surprised if they didn't. They killed a Captain in the English Fleet. Mei isn't going to let such an offense go unanswered." His friend replies.

Gai raises an eyebrow. Mei? He was on a first name basis with the Queen of England? Only Kakashi. Well he had always been able to charm women rather easily. He supposed despite having a crown, Mei was still a woman.

"So the rumors are true then?" He asks casually.

Kakashi shoves Gaiagainst the wall and wraps his hand around his friend's throat. Guy was his best friend since they were small children. Still there were just some things that he couldn't allow.

"If you ever mention that again where anyone else might over hear you, I will have to slit your throat and throw you overboard. The Queen's reputation is everything. I won't want to do it, but I will. Do you understand me?" He demands.

Gai flails against the wall. He starts to turn blue. His eyes widen and he tries his best to speak, but Kakashi's grip around his throat was too tight. So he just nods his head.

"Good." Kakashi says, releases him, and smiles in a far too cheerful fashion.

Gai shivers. Sometimes Kakashi could be really creepy. This was especially so when he smiled that way. As much as he was loathed to admit it, he knew the truth about his friend. He was quite possibly the most cutthroat pirate to have ever lived. He just usually hid it behind a cheerful mask.

"Yes, so first port then. I'm gonna go check on the crew." He says and Kakashi nods.

Gai darts off. It was hard to reconcile some days. He had known the other man since they were boys. How such a happy child had grown up to become one of the fiercest pirates that ever sailed the Seven Seas and the Queen's lover was beyond him. He figured it was probably best not to ask too many questions though.

"Do we have enough supplies?" He asks the cook.

"We have enough food to keep comfortable us for a year. Two, if we rationed." The cook replies.

"Ah well that's good then. How about ale and wine?" The bushy browed pirate asks.

"Ten years at least." The cook says with a smirk and Gai grins.

That was music to his ears. There was only one thing that pirates loved almost as much as treasure. That was liquor! This was going to be a grand adventure. He just knew it

"It's a little nippy here. Well I better get going. Got to make sure the crew is ready for this adventure! THE POWER OF YOUTH IS ON OUR SIDE!" He says and races off.

The cook blinks. He knew that Gai was a skilled pirate. No one could ever doubt that, but the man was also highly eccentric.

Kenji, the cook, just didn't understand what he meant by 'The Power of Youth.' Gai wasn't old, but he certainly wasn't young anymore. Oh well. It was none of his business.

"Guess I better get to work on these potatoes." He mutters as he begins slicing them up.

* * *

Meanwhile back on Konoha, Sasuke was checking over their supplies with Jugo. The raven haired pirate was honestly at a loss for what he was supposed to do about Naruto. Maybe he should just pretend it never happened and hope that the blonde had the courtesy to do the same?

"He actually spanked you?" Jugo asks incredulously.

"Yes. Asshole." Sasuke grumbles and tries not to look flustered at the memory.

Jugo just shakes his head at both Sasuke and Naruto's actions. He'd never seen Sasuke go out of his way to provoke someone like this before. Naruto had every right to punish Sasuke. He was disrespecting the Captain of the ship. He didn't have to punish him in such a… _suggestive_ way though. It was rather obvious what was going on.

"It seems to me you are more interested in him than you are in Kurama's treasure." Jugo muses.

He instantly regretted it. Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously red. Jugo had known Sasuke long enough to realize that was a very bad sign.

"I am NOT more interested in him than the treasure. He's just amusing to rile up!" Sasuke protests.

"This has gone beyond the point of an idle amusement. The fact that he chose to spank you instead of beating you or humiliating you in front of the crews, just shows that the attraction is mutual. Don't try to tell me that you don't want him. If you didn't, you never would have let him live after you smacking your arse like that." Jugo says quickly.

Sasuke scowls. He hated to admit it, but Jugo did have a point. The large man had several good points actually. The younger Uchiha normally didn't waste much time on anyone that wasn't Itachi or his crew. Sasuke was intrigued by him and there wasn't really much point in denying that. The blonde also didn't have to punish him in such erotic way either. Furthermore, he had pinned Sasuke against the wall. Plus he had definitely been excited when he did so. It was at the very least a mutual lust.

"Alright. I'm attracted to him, but that's all it is. It's just lust." Sasuke insists.

"You should get it out of your system. If it's just lust, then a quick roll in the bed with him should be all that you need to do. If it turns out to be more, then you landed yourself a powerful lover." Jugo points out.

Sasuke considers it. Jugo might be right. Still even if the blonde wanted him physically, that didn't mean he'd actually do something about it. It could also make things uncomfortable, if Naruto rejected him or if it didn't work out.

"I'll think about it." Sasuke mutters.

* * *

Elsewhere on Konoha, Naruto was in his Cabin. He was drinking a lot of sake and trying to will the images away. It wasn't working.

The blonde had always known that he was attracted to men. Women just didn't excite him sexually. He liked women, just not as his lovers. They were too soft and delicate for him. Well there were exceptions like Sakura of course, but he wasn't attracted to her despite her strength.

"I really should have found another way to discipline him. I don't know who I punished more. Me or him." He grumbles.

It didn't matter how many times he dealt with his "problem," it kept coming back. He really should not have bent Sasuke over a bed and smacked him like that. He had only managed to torture himself.

"Damn it. I really need to talk to him about this." Naruto practically snarls and heads off to find the feisty First Mate.

He finds him with Jugo. Damn was that big lug ever not by Sasuke's side? He really took that whole shield thing seriously, but he had to go. He wanted some damn privacy to talk with the other pirate!

"Sasuke, do you have a moment? I want to discuss the best route to the Isle of Lust." Naruto asks.

"Yeah. Alright. We were just checking on our supplies. I'll be back in a bit, Jugo." Sasuke says as he walks off with the blonde.

"Is there ever going to be a point where Jugo isn't acting like your shadow? It's getting really annoying." Naruto says as he shuts the door behind them.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he heard some jealousy in Naruto's voice there. Good. Let him see how it feels.

"You sound like a jealous lover. Is there a reason a member of my crew shouldn't help me take stock of our supplies?" Sasuke asks.

"No. Not when you put it like that. But maybe I am jealous. You were jealous of Kiba. Kiba doesn't even like men!" Naruto exclaims.

Damn it. He figured out that he was jealous of Kiba. Well he could always deny it . Wait, Naruto had just admitted that he was also jealous. Maybe he didn't have to deny it?

"He doesn't? Good." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto glances at Sasuke. He knew he had to say something, but he just couldn't figure out what to say. How was he supposed to do this?

"I'm probably going to regret this, but I've never really been that good at sweet talking. If I was, I wouldn't be a pirate. I'd be a poet." Naruto begins.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks as he looks at Naruto warily.

"This." Naruto says as he pushes Sasuke down on the bed and captures his mouth with his own.

Before Sasuke could process what was happening, he was on his back. The blonde was practically devouring his mouth. Oh yes, whatever this was there was definitely a lot of lust involved. Suddenly his body felt like it was on fire in a way that was akin to ecstasy. Idly, he knew that didn't make sense. But at the moment he didn't care.

He felt himself arch against the Captain and moan into the kiss. Sasuke tugs on those golden locks and returns the kiss with equal passion. Their tongues battled for supremacy. Neither of them was willing to concede an inch to the other.

"Fuck sweet nothings. I'd much rather have that." Sasuke murmurs once he breaks the kiss.

"Me too. So you're mine now." Naruto observes.

"You wish. I like the way you kiss. That doesn't make me yours. Besides, I don't know why you are assuming you are the one who wields the sword in this relationship. That's assuming we even have a relationship. We might kill each other anyway." Sasuke says as he rolls until he was on top of his blonde and pins Naruto's hands over his head.

"Yeah. We just might kill each other anyway. But if that kiss was any indication, it'd be a Hell of a way to go. Of course I'm the one who wields the sword. I'm the Captain!" Naruto exclaims.

"I could be a Captain if I wanted to be. I just didn't see a reason. Itachi knows what he's doing and we have a fine ship. Why abandon it?" Sasuke grumbles.

"No need to get defensive. I'll take really good care of my First Mate." Naruto says with a seductive purr and Sasuke mentally gulps, wondering what the hell he'd just gotten himself into.

* * *

The next day, Obito sighs as he begins riding back to his home. He only ventured out to check on his shipyard. He had become quite good at blacksmithing and ended up working at a shipyard in his youth. The owner of the shipyard eventually died of old age and gave it to him. Ever since then, he had become a recluse.

Of course certain pirates couldn't just let him be! He sees a familiar head of silver hair get off the ship that just docked. Damn Kakashi. He couldn't let sleeping dogs be.

"Obito, don't even try to run off." The pirate calls out, mounts a horse, and gallops over to his old friend's side.

"What part of I want to live out the rest of my days in solitude was difficult for you to understand? You are supposed to be a genius, Kakashi. You should be able to understand that much with ease." Obito taunts him.

"Oh I understood it perfectly. I just don't agree with it. I miss Rin as well, but she wouldn't want you to lock yourself away for the rest of your life. However, that is not why I'm here. I'm here on official business." The masked pirate says merrily.

Obito raises an eyebrow. God only knows what Kakashi meant by that. He knew that the other man worked for the Queen of England. They were rather close. Obito wasn't certain if they were lovers or not, but his suspicion was that they were. How else would a man like Kakashi become so close to one of the most powerful rulers in Europe?

"And what does Her Majesty, desire?" Obito asks cautiously.

He didn't know what the Queen wanted, but he doubted it was anything that was proper. Mei was rather famous for her ability to test the boundaries of what was considered acceptable behavior for a Queen. She believed in expanding the influence of England and wasn't above taking big risks to do so.

"The Sharingan crew killed a Captain in the English Fleet. She wants me to avenge him. I thought that they might have docked here. This is the closest port to where the battle took place. Have you seen Itachi or Sasuke Uchiha?" Kakashi inquires pleasantly.

Kakashi truly did miss Obito. They had once been the closest of friends before the real world got in the way. He'd ended up on a ship. Obito had become an apprentice. Rin had gone missing one day and they never knew what became of her. Obito was never the same after that.

The silver haired pirate knew that his friend fancied himself in love with Rin. He didn't know if the dark haired man was actually in love with her or if it had just been a puppy love that he had never had the chance to outgrow. Either way, he mourned her "death" deeply.

"I've seen neither. I am also not in the habit of watching the comings and goings of pirates. You tend to live longer that way." Obito says with a shrug.

"Unfortunate. I am certain that you do know of them though. Where do you think that they could have gone?" He inquires.

Obito eyes Kakashi warily. He didn't know why the Queen was sending Kakashi out to do something like this. This work was really beneath him. Some random Captain got killed? He was surprised the Queen even knew about such an event, let alone cared enough to do about it. She must really be worried about looking strong for her to go to lengths like these over one Captain's death.

"Been hearing rumors that Captain Naruto Uzumaki has been asking around about Kurama's treasure and was seen talking to Itachi, not that long ago. I think that they were likely going after it. Mad as hatters, the whole lot of them. Everyone knows that it doesn't exist." The shipyard owner says with a shrug.

Kakashi nods. Of course everyone had heard that story. Almost every pirate went looking for it. It was almost a right of passage.

"And do you have any idea where they might begin their quest?" He asks.

"The Triangle of Death would be my guess. Of the three isles, I'd start with Lust first. Good luck, my friend. From what I have heard of them, you will need it." He tells him.

"I don't need luck. I have skill, but thank you. Please do consider what I said though. She wouldn't want you to waste away here." Kakashi says as he heads back towards his ship.

* * *

Back on the Isle of Lust, Itachi had decided to pass the time with Gaara productively. In this case, that meant by trying to seduce his new companion. The red head was looking less than thrilled by the idea of blindfolds.

"I don't understand what is supposed to be pleasurable about the idea. It is just asking for your lover to slit your throat." The other Captain muses.

"When you are deprived of one sense, your others grow stronger to compensate. In this case, without sight your sense of touch is heightened. It is very pleasurable." He assures the red head.

Gaara looks at Itachi like he thought the other man was mad. Make love while blindfolded? That was even more outrageous than having sex in public. It was just asking to have your throat slit or to be robbed blind.

"I'm not certain that I care for this particular game." He states.

"Perhaps it would make you feel better if I was the one who was blindfolded?" Itachi suggests.

Gaara blinks. It was hard for him to believe that had just happened. Itachi had just offered to completely submit himself to Gaara. He had no way of knowing what the Captain of Suna might do. This was a touching display of trust.

"Well I can't lie. That does sound intriguing. I'm honored that you would trust me that much." Gaara says.

"As you should be." Itachi says with a smirk.

The red head shakes his head in amusement. He places the blindfold on his most precious person and smiles. Well the red silk did flatter him. Then again, this was Itachi. Gaara was certain he could make even wearing a potato sack look alluring.

Well if Itachi was going to grant him such trust, he might as well take advantage of it. Gaara smiles and slides the other man's shirt off. The Captain of Suna was suddenly rather tempted just to burn all of Itachi's shirts or toss them overboard. It should be a crime for him to cover up.

"You're beautiful." He muses as he ghosts his fingertips over the muscular planes of Itachi's chest.

Itachi makes a small sound of amusement at being called beautiful. He knew that that Gaara meant it as a compliment, but he had never been called that before. He had been called handsome, desirable, attractive, sexy, and seductive before, but never beautiful.

"Thank you." He says and doesn't bother to keep the mirth out of his voice.

"You're laughing at me." Gaara says accusingly.

"I am not laughing at you. I just have never been called that before and it struck me as amusing." Itachi defends himself as he leans down and fumbles around until he found Gaara's lips, which he kissed.

Gaara returns the kiss. He still wasn't pleased that Itachi had been laughing at him, in his mind. But he couldn't resist the other man's kiss.

"Mmm you had best make it up to me. I don't take kindly to being laughed at." Gaara whispers.

"I wasn't laughing at you, but I have every intention of making it up to you." Itachi informs him.

Gaara wasn't entirely certain he believed that. Before he could respond, there was a knock on their door. A rather desperate one. He quickly undoes Itachi's blindfold and tosses the other pirate Captain his shirt, before answering it.

"Gaara, a fight has broken out. It's savage." Temari informs him.

Temari and Kankuro were some of the Suna Crew members that the red head had brought with him. He wasn't going to leave his siblings behind. Besides, Itachi told him that he could bring his crew. So he had.

"How bad is it?" Itachi asks.

"Bottles are being thrown. Mind your step. They have shattered in many places. Swords are now being unsheathed. I don't know what caused it. But it's bad." The female pirate continues.

Itachi sighs. It was unfortunate that a brawl had to break out just as he was making progress with Gaara. Oh well. They couldn't stand idly by while their crews were in danger. He follows the blonde to the skirmish.

The younger Captain darts off after his almost lover and his sister. If it was bad enough for Temari to be concerned, it was bad. He blinks at the scene he found when they got there.

"DIE!' A drunken man says as he lunges at one of the Suna crew members.

The crew member easily dodged to the side and the man ended up running into a wall. Still most of the fighting was far from as comical as that incident. The sights and sounds of swords clashing was intense. Men and women were breaking bottles and brandishing the broken glass menacingly.

"This is madness." Gaara mutters.

Itachi nods his head in agreement. He briefly wonders what set off the fight. The eldest Uchiha brother quickly decides he didn't care. It didn't matter who started the fight. He would simply finish it.

He charges into the fray and swings his sword swiftly. His sword chimed with each swing. Gaara blinks. He shrugs and quickly joins Itachi in the fight.

"Just knock them out if you can. I'd rather not have to kill a man because he had too much to drink." Itachi informs him.

"Very well." He agrees and brings the blunt end of his sword harshly down on the back of the man's neck.

He didn't decapitate or stab him. Gaara simply struck at a horizontal angle. It stunned the man so much that he collapsed onto the floor. Itachi nods at him approvingly.

"Gaara! Look out behind you!" Kankuro shouts at his brother.

The red head narrowly had time to whirl around and block the sword that had been swung at his back. There was a reason why he was said to have the Ultimate Defense. It was hard to truly strike the Captain of Suna.

Itachi didn't respond well to someone attempting to stab Gaara in the back. So much for not wanting someone to lose their life over a tavern fight. The dark haired pirate quickly flits behind the would be attack and runs his sword straight through his heart.

"What happened to not killing?" Gaara asks in amusement.

"He tried to kill you. The second he did that, he forfeited his life." Itachi says and slams his elbow into another man that thought he could gain an advantage by attacking the two men who were currently engaged in conversation.

"That was terribly rude of you. We were trying to have a conversation." Itachi admonishes the drunk who was now grunting in pain.

"That should teach them some manners! Yeah?!" Deidara asks as he smashes a bottle against some unlucky man's head.

"You have very strange friends." Gaara observes.

"I know. But they are still the best crew in the Seven Seas." Itachi says with a smirk.

"The second best crew in the Seven Seas." Gaara corrects him.

The brawl lasted another hour. By the end of it, the Sharingan and Suna crews had emerged victorious, with worst injury being a broken arm on their side. The drunks were mostly laying unconscious on the floor, except for the one that Itachi had slain for attacking Gaara.

"Yes, your crew is the second best." Itachi nods in agreement and Gaara twitches.

"We are not strange!" Deidara protests.

"No. No. Captain Sabaku has a point there. The lot of you are mad as hatters." Konan says in a bored tone as she looks at her nails.

Damn it. She had broken a nail. She really should have killed that stupid drunk instead of punching. Oh well. That was just one of the job hazards of being a female pirate, your nails didn't stay perfect for long. One had to be ready to throw a punch, at all times. It didn't matter what gender you were, when you were on the Sharingan Crew.


End file.
